


Revelations, Legends and Champions

by Kittyinaz



Series: Revelations of an Hatter and An Alice [2]
Category: Alice (2009)
Genre: F/M, Legendary Tales Universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-06
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2017-12-28 14:39:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 70,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/993085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittyinaz/pseuds/Kittyinaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Alice & Hatter. Alice & Hatter have freed Wonderland from the Queen of Hearts, but are they ready for the rest of the reason Wonderland brought Alice? Read Alice and Hatter to understand better, sequel takes off from it.</p><p>Disclosure:  I do not own Alice in Wonderland or anything that is associated with it. I just come up with these stories on the way home listening to the song. </p><p>For more information, check out my website: http://kittyinaz.wordpress.com/</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1 Hail Ceaser

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](http://i1.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Revelations-1-1.jpg)

_Previously on Alice and Hatter:_

_Alice holds it up in victory and everyone yells in joy._

_Then Hatter looks up, and yells, “Chess, Absolem, It’s done!” Everyone turns and looks at him in surprise._

_Then in front of them appears a blue butterfly on the shoulder of a woman all in white but her nails and lips who holds herself regally. Next to them appears a beautiful brown eyed blonde woman in silver armor, holding a sword.  Standing behind her protectively a man with orange hair, white face and a top hat with a grey and turquoise stripe cat between the two of them._

_Everyone is in shock recognizing the Alice of Legend; her mate, Tarrant Hightopp and the White Queen along with the Keeper of the Oraculum and The Cheshire Cat. Then they all have an even larger shock when Tarrant tells Hatter proudly in a strong brogue, “Excellent job, Son.”_

_Now:_

* * *

[ ](http://i1.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/4b4083c880783.jpg)

_“ **Son**_?” The ex-queen of Hearts screams. She turns around sharply to the White Queen and accuses her, venom dripping from her voice, “You made a  _promise_  to not interfere with this Kingdom  _or_  the Kingdom of Knights.”

Mirana calmly looks at Constance and advises her, “The promise was that I, Alice Kingsleigh-Hightopp Hatter, and Tarrant Hightopp Hatter would not take revenge or enter either of the kingdoms for the unprovoked attack and destruction of Alice’s Kingdom, the Kingdom of Knights, and in return you will not attack the White Kingdom.”

At that statement, most of the people of Wonderland gasp and start to murmur to each other.

Mirana continues to speak regally to the woman in front of her. “Prince David was never part of that promise, nor did we plan for him to ever come here. In fact, we did much to prevent him from coming, and when that didn’t work, we put many additional restrictions on him.”

Those simple statements turn the court into a mess. Jack is completely floored. Hatter is a Prince of Wonderland and not just any prince, but the  _son_  of Alice of Legend, Queen Alice of the Kingdom of Knights? And even more importantly, he is the son of the Champions of Wonderland?

Santi, the Ten of Clubs, sees the ex-Queen of Hearts step back, and he signals his Clubs to grab her. He doesn’t need her escaping and making this entire revolution be worthless. Santi thinks about what he is hearing, and realizes he needs to step up and make his input heard. He really is the Duke of Clubs, however the now ex-Queen of Hearts had taken everyone’s titles away unless it suited her to let them keep them, like the Duchess of Diamond.

Hatter has turned away from his parents to Alice blanching at his formal name being used. He sees Alice staring at him in shock with the Ring of Wonderland, his Mother’s ring, in her hands still. He realizes he needs to talk to her quickly.

He pulls her into his arms as he softly talks to her, “Alice, luv, you remember those secrets? This is one of them. I am the son of the rightful Queen of the Kingdom of the Knights. If anyone would have known that I was the Prince of the Kingdom of the Knights, well, you saw the reaction of the Queen of Hearts.  She would have marched in and murdered her way to Marmoreal as fast as she could.”

He is starting to get desperate at Alice’s lack of response. “Alice?” He holds on to her, starting to panic when she is saying nothing _, ‘I cannot lose Alice to my secrets, not now_!’ This is why he had told her what he could in case this happened and he could be free of his secrets.  He pleads with her, “Alice!”

Alice expected those secrets that he was referring to, to revolve around the Resistance, not that Hatter is a prince. ‘ _A Prince!! Why would he want her?’_  But then, she hears him pleading with her; the man that had sacrificed so much for her is pleading. ‘ _The man that loves you, Alice!’_  She blinks, looks at Hatter and asks the first thing that came to mind, “David?”

Hatter looks at her, and laughs in relief as he answers her, “Yes, David is my first name.” He grabs her and hugs her gently to him, remembering his ribs. He then asks her softly in her ear, “You ok, luv?”

Relaxing in his arms, Alice whispers back, “Yes, but we need to talk, Hatter.”

Holding her close, Hatter sighs knowing that now is not the time. Nodding in agreement to her, he releases her, but not wanting to let go of her yet, he takes her hand in his. His brown eyes stare into hers as he asks her, “Are you ready to meet my parents?”

Alice is shocked that he is wanting to introduce her to his parents already, but he sounds so eager for them to meet. To give her a second to try to process everything, she looks around at the madness around them as people are shouting and finger pointing at each other. Her father is in the middle of a group of people that includes Jack, Duchess, Ten of Clubs, and…  _‘is that the King of Hearts?’_  She just stares in shock that so many have survived the fall of the Casino.

Hatter follows her stare and is unsurprised to see all of them arguing, this revelation is a huge shock to everyone in the Red Kingdom. No one in Wonderland had known about the Promises or that the Kingdom of the Knights was actually ruled by his mother, in fact it was something only the Royals knew about. She had been on her way to the Kingdom when the Queen of Hearts had found out and attacked. The story of what happened when the Queen decided to attack was known to everyone, just not the “ _why_ ”. He was not sure they were ready for that. He remembers how shocked he had been when he had learned the truth!

Hatter shakes his head. He honestly doesn’t care what they argue about or do as long as his Alice is safe. He really wants to have her meet his parents; he thinks his mother can help her out, since she had been in a similar situation, but he waits for his Alice to agree. He doesn’t want to force her to do anything, since he could still feel Wonderland investing both of them with power; he is unsure what Wonderland is wanting with both of them.

Alice turns back to Hatter and is about to say something when she looks over his shoulder and feels an urge to curtsey, something she had never felt with the prior Queen of Hearts.

Hatter turns at the look at her face preparing to defend her, Alice should not uncomfortable with anyone and the only ones that come to mind that could put the look on her face is either Jack or someone else in the Red Queen’s court. But, he relaxes when he sees that it is his parents and Mirana walking towards them.

Mirana looks at the two new Champions of Wonderland and quite possibly the new reigning Monarchs of the Kingdom of Knights. Neither Alice nor Tarrant had wanted to be the rulers of the Kingdom of Knights, but they both respected the responsibility they had to Wonderland. Wonderland was letting everyone that understood her know who she wanted now. Thankfully both Wonderland and Mirana believe in choices; the difference between the two of them is that Wonderland will do what it can to force the choice in its direction.

Alice is a little worried to have all these people descend upon them and is glad Hatter is beside her. Some part of her brain made some observations. Hatter had always known she was not the Alice of Legend, now she understood why since his  _mother_  was the Alice of Legend. And, contrary to what the Queen of Hearts had told her in the throne room the first time they had met, this woman coming to her is the most powerful female in literature… and the mother of the man she loves. She tightens her grip on Hatter’s hand and he looks down at her and smiles.

The three of them walk up and before anything can be said, Alice Kingsliegh continues forward and throws her arms around her son, causing him to release Alice to hold his mum. Tarrant doesn’t hesitate either and moves forward to hold both of them in his arms, looking complete and very happy, his eyes turning a blueish green; he has his family back. He happens to glance over at his own Alice and smiles. It is then that Alice loses any fear of the strange man. Anyone that loves her Hatter that much must be ok.

Mirana clears her throat. “Alice, they may need a few moments,” Mirana begins, glancing at the newly reunited family. “I’m guessing you might be a little confused about what is going on. I may be able to clear some of it up.” At this Alice smiles at her. During all of this, Hatter  keeps an eye out for his Alice but hearing what Mirana said to her, he speaks up. “Mirana, I need to be there. It’s a matter of a promise I made to Alice.” Alice grins at him remembering other activities that had also happened.

Alice of Legend sighs and looks at her mate; Tarrant is overjoyed at seeing his son. But Alice K. knows there is a lot of information that needs to be passed in a very short time. Not the least is acknowledging Wonderland. However, she will allow her son his choices and she will do what she can for this new Alice. She is happy with the way most of her life has turned out, but the cost of that life has been very high. She hugs her son hard before she releases him. What neither she nor anyone else expects is him to turn white from the action.

Alice has been watching him and notices the change immediately. “Hatter!” She runs over before anyone else can react and barely catches him as he passes out.  Tarrant is there a second later helping lower his son to the ground, his eyes a yellow color of worry. He looks at Alice and asks softly, not wanting to scare her, but wanting, ‘ _no, needing!’_  to know what is wrong with his son, “What’s wrong with him?”

Alice is frantic and telling herself she was stupid for believing him in the casino when he told her his injuries were just a few cuts and bruises. She had seen the beating he had received before the ride to the casino in the scarab. When she saw him again, he was so much worse. She manages to get his jacket off and is in the process of removing his shirt so she can see what injuries he has when she answers Tarrant absently, “He was beaten and then tortured by the Doctors.”  _‘Why could she not get this off of him?’_

Alice Kingsliegh gasps hearing what had happened to David and then turns to her mate. While Tarrant’s  eyes have turned a red color and his face markings are appearing, she can tell that he is working hard to not completely lose it. One of his major triggers is pain to him and his. She can understand his feelings since she has fought to protect Wonderland because she did not want him to be in any more pain from the people or the land itself. His connection to Wonderland being strong enough that if the land was hurting, so was he. However, because of the same Bond, he can also feel her mother’s wrath and pain for someone daring to hurt  _her_  son! Feeling both her pain and hearing what has happened to their son is making it harder for him to control the Madness. He looks at the woman holding their son, and back at her. Alice K realizes she needs to control both of their feelings for her son and his love.

None of the couples’ pain goes unnoticed or felt for, though. Mirana turns and tells Chess, “Quick, go back to Marmoreal and get the healing potions!” She looks around and, seeing all the injured, expands on her orders as she tells him, “Bring back as many as you can and tell Thackery to make as many as he can. It looks like it will be needed.” Chess looks around. Seeing all the people hurt, he nods and evaporates without a comment.

Robert turns at his daughter’s voice and sees what happened. He leaves the Hearts to go over and see what he can do for the man that saved his daughter and who it looks like is in love with her, and she with him. He realizes what Alice is trying to do and goes to help her remove what they can to see the wounds clearer. Before they start, Jack joins them and says, “I have a scarab on its way here to take him back to the City. There we can have the doctors look him over.” No matter what else had happened or will happen, Jack acknowledges that he has a debt to repay to both Alice and Hatter.

Before anyone can react to the Knave’s offer, Chess has reappeared with a satchel. Mirana takes one purple and one light blue potion out of the bag full of many different colors of potions. She then turns to Tarrant and Robert and briskly orders them, “Help Alice remove the shirt and get him to a sitting position.”

Tarrant is still looking murderous but nods and works with the man he knows as Carpenter. Alice is told to sit behind Hatter and help support him. When the shirt is removed there are gasps at the burn marks and contusions that are all over Hatter.

Mirana tightens her lips and grabs another purple potion. “Alice, my friend, help me pour these on all the wounds.” She then looks at the woman who is holding Hatter and hands her the potion that is light blue in color, “Try to get him to swallow as much of this as you can.”

Alice nods and her father turns to help her. Everyone is working silently and can hear the gasps and murmurs from everyone surrounding them. Farther away are soft cries of pain and fear from the rest of the refugees from the fallen Casino.

Alice is shocked as she looks down where the two ladies are working and sees the wounds heal as the purple liquid is poured on them. She and her father are having a harder time getting Hatter to swallow, however they are getting it down his throat without choking him. Alice is so amazed that he had been able to do everything he had done up till now with all the damage he had taken. She has always known he is a remarkable man, but this… ‘ _Keep strong Alice! He needs you right now!’_  Everyone here obviously loves Hatter and is working to save him. As they finish their assigned tasks, she watches his father and the woman that is Hatter’s mother.

Once Alice K. has finished her part, she hands the empty bottle to Mirana and goes to her mate. He is still so  _very_  angry and she needs to calm him down for now. Whomever did that to their son will pay. Tarrant takes her in his arms and keeps a wary eye out for anyone that is close to his friends and family. He especially keeps an eye on the Hearts. That family is one to always keep an eye out on. His gaze comes back to the other Alice and he observes how much she cares for his son. He suspects, knowing Wonderland as well as he does, that the bonding between the two has already begun. He has heard from Chess that his son has inherited the Madness from him, but to a lesser degree, and that it comes out when this woman is threatened. He can understand that all too well.

All of a sudden Hatter coughs and opens his eyes, groaning out, “Oh gods, what  _is_  that taste?” His next thought is for Alice. ‘ _Where is she?’_  Hatter can feel Alice, but not see her. Before he can get anxious, he looks up and is greeted with her beautiful blue eyes. There is such worry in them that he sits up, turns around and pulls her in his arms in one smooth motion. “Luv, what’s wrong?”

Alice is shocked at how fast he moves. He must have been hurting from all of their escapades and she never knew it all this time. She closes her eyes in relief; he had scared her badly and now holds on to him as if her sanity relies on it, trembling slightly.

Hatter is getting more worried and when he looks around, he realizes his shirt is off, his mother is upset, his fa looks murderous, and Mirana looks exhausted. “What happened?”

Absolem speaks up and tells him, “Stupid child, you were too busy caring about your Alice, you let your wounds get the better of you. If it hadn’t been for your Alice’s and Mirana’s quick actions and thinking, you may have died.”

Hatter holds Alice tighter, realizing that not only had he almost caused her to lose him, he had deeply worried her. Not to mention his mum and fa. He looks up from the trembling woman in his arms and takes in his parent’s and friends’ worried and shocked faces. “I’m so sorry. I was planning to ask Mirana in private for some of her potions. I didn’t want to worry you.” He couldn’t believe he had been so stupid. Then the color of his fa’s eyes sinks in, he sees his mum upset, and asks, “Why are you so upset?”

Tarrant growls out, his brogue so heavy he is barely understood. “Wha bloody slurvish guddler’s scut dar’d to hurt ye?” His tone makes it very clear he is going to get an answer, one way or the other, as he holds his mate close to him in a loving, but protective manner. It is also very clear that he wants to protect  _his son_  but realizes that he can’t. His very  _nature_ demands retribution for the pain caused to his. The conflict is a great one, but this man embraces it and makes it work for him.

Alice watches the man in front of her and suddenly understands Hatter better. His protectiveness, love, everything comes from this man in front of her. This is not to say his mother didn’t have a hand in making Hatter what he is today. But, she can understand her love so much more and can see why Tarrant went Mad when his mate left him.  She doesn’t know the why’s or how’s of Alice Kingsleigh leaving Tarrant, she just knows from Chess that she had left him at one point. However, Alice knows that even if she could, she never would leave Hatter, she loves him too much to do that to him.

Hatter is not scared of his fa, but he is worried about Alice. But, knowing what his fa needs is an answer, he softly replies as he watches his face. “Mad March an’ the Doctors, Fa. I took care of Mad March myself an’ unless someone released the Doctors, they are dead also.” His childhood brogue coming to the fore, calming both he and his fa with the familiarity of their memories of his childhood. He is relieved to see his fa and mum relax. He can also feel his Alice calming in his arms.

Mirana stands and looks around. She sees Winston standing to the side and calls him over. “Winston, I have enough potions to help out. We need to get this crowd sorted out and settled.”

Winston nods and looking at his son, tells him, “Jack, you are in charge now. I will be here to help, but you need to start taking command. Now saying that, I advise you to listen to your great aunt and follow her instructions.”

Jack stands there shocked.  _‘The White Queen is his great aunt?’_  He nods his head absently as he turns to her. “Milady, what are your recommendations?”

Mirana watches all of this and nods. “Do you have accommodations in the City for these poor souls?”

Jack thinks and then agrees with Mirana. “Then I suggest you start transporting them to the City.”

Jack turns and Duchess stops him saying softly, “I will take care of it, Jack.” She then turns and motioning to some Diamonds, has them help her get everyone organized.

Jack watches her walk away amazed that this woman cares for him still and has stuck by him. He shakes his head and turning back to his great aunt. “Will you be joining us, milady?”

Mirana glances back at the Hatters and softly answers, “I think that we will need some time to discuss some items of great importance. Will you excuse us?”

Before Jack can protest, or even ask how they plan to get anywhere, Mirana walks up to Alice and the Hatters and says something to them. They all look up at her and then to the people around them and nod.

Then the Cheshire Cat and the Keeper of the Oraculum move towards them and everyone disappears.

Jack shakes his head and wonders if this is the new Wonderland. More importantly, how long will it take for him to be comfortable in it. He turns to see what he can do for his people. Before he gets far, he jumps as the Cheshire Cat reappears in front of his face.

“My dear boy, the potions are to help those who need it. The purple as you saw is for physical wounds and the light blue are for internal. Don’t use any of the others in the satchel without guidance. If you have urgent need, call for me and I will come.” With those instructions, he fades away.

Jack shakes his head in disbelief and walks off taking the satchel with him.

* * *

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Alice-Signature-1.gif)


	2. Chapter 2 All Yours

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Revelations-2-1.jpg)

**Song for the Chapter** :  ** _Made for You_ by OneRepublic**

* * *

Hatter holds Alice and they both agree with Mirana’s suggestion that they take this somewhere else. Chess winks then touches him and Tarrant, who is holding his mum. The next thing they know they are in Marmoreal. Chess lets them go and evaporates, but Hatter pulls her close as he whispers, “Welcome to Marmoreal, the home of the White Queen of Underland.” Then he kisses the top of her head and lets her go. He wants to see her face as she first views the White Kingdom. As she looks around, he look of awe on her face is as rewarding as he had hoped.

Alice couldn’t believe it. Hatter had pulled her to him then after agreeing to Mirana’s offer, had whispered, “Hold on to me.” Chess winked, then after touching Hatter and his father, had somehow transported them to somewhere that Hatter had called Marmoreal, home of the Queen of Underland? ‘ _What is Underland?’_

Before she could ask, Hatter kisses her and then lets her see the place they are in. She stands there shocked and in complete awe of its beauty. There are cherry trees growing everywhere she could see and smell their blossoms permeating the air, the gentle perfume clouding them with its soft smell and sounds as the flowers fell in a stately grace. The castle looks like one from a fairy tale; it and the grounds are decorated with…  _chess pieces?_  It briefly reminds her of the Kingdom of Knights. She looks back at Hatter and he is grinning at her.

Hatter is happy to be able to share more of Wonderland with Alice. He can still feel Wonderland filling both of them with power, though, and is determined to find out why. But, for right now, he wants to show his love the parts of Wonderland that are beautiful and fun after the misery that she has experienced so far. He is looking forward to showing her so much. He holds his hand out to her and she takes it firmly.

Mirana watches whom she feels more and more will be the future consorts of the Kingdom of Knights. She knows Hatter is destined to become King, but Alice has a choice still from what she can tell. Hatter did somewhat, but Alice is given a complete choice due to Wonderland’s rules. From what she has seen, if Alice leaves Hatter it will not be pretty. She shakes her head and tells herself to leave the worry alone for now. She smiles and softly says, “Come now, I know Hatter would like a shirt, and Alice, you probably would like to get out of your clothes and into something clean.” They both turn to her with similar looks of longing. She laughs and gestures gracefully for them to follow her.

Alice has been a little worried that they would separate Hatter and herself, but the Queen shows them to a room and tells them that there are clothes inside for both of them. She then airily mentions that tea time is at Brillig and they would do well not to miss it. She smiles and leaves them.

Hatter gently grasps the doorknob like he expects something to happen and opens the door. Inside is a room done all in light colors, with the furniture of a beautiful dark mahogany color. Hatter steps back and grins mischievously as he picks her up bridal style and carries her in the room while kissing her. He kicks the door shut and Alice could have sworn she heard someone muffled say something. Before she can think further on the matter, Hatter drops her on the bed. “Hatter!” she yells, laughing at his mischievousness.

He looks down at his love and can’t help but grin at her. Dropping on the bed beside Alice, he rolls over to hold her. He stares at her and feels his heart stutter at the sheer beauty in front of him. He kisses her softly and holds her tightly to him.  “My Alice,” he sighs.

Alice had been laughing, but the look on Hatter’s face sobers her, reminding her of the hardships they both had just gone through. She rests in his arms trying to let everything go. She cherishes this down time since they have had so little of it the past couple of days. She snuggles into his arms and they both lie there enjoying the fact that they are both safe for the first time in days. They take advantage of the time and finish telling each other what had happened at the Casino when they were separated. When done, they lie there in each other’s arms just relaxing and not thinking. There will be time for that later; this is more important to both of them.

After a long while, Hatter sighs. With the inborn time sense of Wonderlanders, he knows they need to get up. “Alice, luv, we need to get ready. After Tea, we need to talk, but if we don’t get moving now, we will be late. And let me tell you, late for tea is pretty bad, and not only in the Hightopp clan; you don’t want Thackery upset either.” He smiles thinking of all his friends.

Alice groans at the thought of moving, but she gets up and looks around. “Hatter, where is the bathroom?”

Hatter looks around and points out the door. “Go ahead luv, I need to take care of a couple of errands. Take your time; I will be back in time to get ready for Tea.” He hugs her to him and then kisses her. Looking into her eyes to make sure she is really ok, he waits for her nod. Hatter then walks over to the wardrobe and opens it to grab a shirt that looks identical to the one he had worn earlier. When Alice arches her eyebrow at him, he laughs as he answers her silent inquiry. “I had an extra one of these in the Red Kingdom; this is actually the original, which is lucky since I don’t think the other is salvageable. Don’t worry; I will change before we go to tea.” With that, and his smirk, in place he leaves, again touching the doorknob gently.

Alice sighs and then moves to look past the door he had indicated. There she finds the bathroom of her dreams. There is a tub big enough to fit two comfortably standing there, filled with lightly steaming water, ready and waiting for someone’s use. A thick plush bathrobe is over a chair in front of a vanity. The whole room is done in creams and browns. Alice smiles dreamily and begins shedding clothing on her way to the heavenly bath.  _‘This will feel so good!’_

* * *

Hatter is whistling as he makes his way to his mum and fa’s room fingering what he had found in his pocket earlier. He has a very important question to ask them and is hoping they will not have a problem with it. He thought he would be more nervous in asking, but he feels nothing but contentment and happiness. He comes up to the blue door for the suite of rooms and hesitates, wondering if he should knock.

The doorknob however makes the decision for him, “Go ahead and go in boy! I must say, you have made them wait long enough!”

Hatter shakes his head and, when the doorknob opens the door, goes in. He sees his parents cuddling on the couch and his smile gets bigger.

Alice K. sees her son first and jumps up smiling, running over to hug him.  Tarrant, smiling at both of them, lisps softly, “David, nice to see you. I thought you would be with your lady, though.”

Hatter looks up at his fa and clears his throat. He is so happy to see both of them and so glad that the time for all the secrets is done. But he is here for a reason, and he needs to get back to his Alice. “Mum, Fa, I have a question for you.” As they both look at him, their faces smoothing as they patiently await his request, he grins and proceeds to ask them his question. They both smile and agree, both of them grinning back at him.

* * *

Alice gets out of the bath reluctantly, but figures Hatter would like to at least wash up. She puts on the robe and brushes out her hair as she sits at the vanity.  She thinks she can manage without putting it up for awhile. She then gathers her clothes and puts them in a stack. If she never wears those boots again it will be too soon – she’s rather go barefoot!

Walking out the door, Alice makes her way to the wardrobe and opens it. She expects a lot of dresses and is pleasantly surprised to find soft pants and tunics in her size. She grabs a set in whites and blues, and then looks to see if there were undergarments and shoes. She is happy when she finds both. She turns, humming softly to herself as she gets dressed and almost screams when she sees Hatter standing there. He is wet, like he had just gotten out of the bath, smirking, and wearing nothing more than dark grey pants low on his hips as he leans against the door. “Find what you need?”

Alice gives him an evil look and proceeds to stalk her way to the bathroom to change when he catches her around the waist and pulls her into his arms.

Hatter huskily asks her, “Where you going luv?” He nuzzles her neck and she almost swoons in his arms.

Alice sighs happily as she answers him, “Aren’t you the one who told me that we couldn’t be late?”

Reluctantly acknowledging the truth of her words, he holds her close to him, smelling that scent that is just Alice, and lets her go. “You have no idea what you are doing to me in that robe, knowing all I have to do is pull and I would have you unwrapped like an unbirthday gift.”

Alice smiles then frowns, trying to understand what he is talking about. “Hatter, what is an unbirthday?”

Hatter laughs and tells her he will tell her later. Moving over to the wardrobe, he pulls out a black silk shirt. As an afterthought, he grabs a black fedora and puts it on his head. It wouldn’t do to show up to Tea without a hat. He turns around to see Alice disappearing behind the bathroom door. He grins, and, not wasting a chance to pick on his Alice, walks over to the closed door telling her, “It’s nothing I haven’t seen luv…”

Laughter rings back from the room as Alice teases back, “And since I don’t think you want another cold dip, I figured this would be faster!”

Hatter just laughs and leans against the doorway waiting for his lady to be ready, reflecting that he doesn’t mind waiting on her, ever.

Alice walks out feeling like a million dollars. The clothes fit her perfectly and are the most comfortable she has ever worn; they also look great on her. The one thing that makes her day the most heavenly – the soft shoes with no heels. She looks over at Hatter and sees him smile at her.

Hatter sweeps her into his arms. “I can’t get enough of this, it may take me a few days before I willingly let you go,” he tells her, resting his head on hers, eyes closed in bliss. “Alice?”

Alice is in complete agreement with his statement. “Hmm?”

“I love you.”

Alice smiles and leans back to look him in his warm brown eyes as she answers him. “I love you too, David.”

He groans at the use of his name and she chuckles. “C’mon we can’t be late you know.”

Nodding his head, Hatter walks up to the door and again softly grasping it, opens it and after looking out quickly, gestures her to precede him. Once out of the door, he wraps an arm around her waist and they walk to the gardens where the Tea Party is to be held.

Alice reflects on the difference from the last time she had been shown how to get somewhere. It had been by Jack and he had basically dragged her everywhere. She’d much rather be treated like this. She hopes that the look between him and the Duchess at the site of the fallen Casino is a chance for him to find someone to love, and that he learns to treat her better. She then remembers the Ring of Wonderland and for a moment wonders where it is before she remembers stuffing it in Hatter’s pocket since she had no way to know who it belonged to.  She will ask him about it after the Tea Party.

They walk around the corner and Alice gasps. She feels like she was transported back to her youth and remembers the stories of Alice in Wonderland she and her father used to read together.

The Tea Party is laid out on a bunch of mismatched tables, each covered in a different pastel table cloth, the ones at each end being a pristine white. There are brightly colored pastries and cakes, mismatched chairs, and merrily bubbling tea services. All around the tables are an assortment of characters, animals and people alike. Surprisingly enough to her, while the Queen sat at one end of the table, Tarrant sat at the other with Alice K. on one side and two empty chairs next to him.

Hatter chuckles seeing her reaction and motions with his arm for them to go forward.

Tarrant looks up and sees them. It seems as if his clothes, and, well,  _everything_ gets brighter when he smiles. Before he can stand and pull out Alice’s chair, Hatter beats him to it.

Alice can’t help but laugh at their playfulness and sits down. Hatter sits next to her, laces their fingers together, and brings her hand up to kiss it. Hatter’s friends give them some time after watching the two of them interact with each other. They can have time with Hatter later.

Alice K. watches her son and his love. It is very obvious that they love each other and have admitted it. She thinks back to the start of hers and Tarrant’s relationship and can’t believe she had been so dense. However, in the end, it all worked out, and it looks like her son is smarter than she was. She smiles remembering the question he asked of  Tarrant and herself.

She also knows that what Tarrant and she have to tell them may make it harder. She would rather have all the information at once rather than have it surprise her later. This Alice looks to be of a similar nature and she resolves to give her the information.

Tarrant looks over at her and covers her hand in his, giving her his support as he always has and always will.

Alice K. clears her throat. Hatter and Alice look up at her, smiles on both of their faces. They have been quietly talking, Hatter telling her about the friends that are gathered here. The look on the Champion’s face has them both falling silent.

“David, Alice. We are so very happy you both are here safe and sound. Alice, thank you for caring for and helping David, for that alone, you have our eternal gratitude. I would like to repay some of it now, if you will take a walk with Mirana, Tarrant, and I.”

Tarrant gets up and moves his wife’s chair back and Hatter does the same for Alice. Mirana glides up to them and softly asks her friend, “Are you sure this is a good time?”

Alice K. nods as she replies, “I would prefer to hear it all at once rather than drag it out. Besides you feel Wonderland, do you think she will wait long?” She frowns as she thinks about it, “I have never heard her being so insistent though. Do you think she knows something?”

Mirana stares at her friend wondering the same thing. She finally agrees and leads the way into the maze.

Alice is nervous, wondering why they need to talk to them in private. She then remembers Hatter is a prince and there may be something she doesn’t know about Princes. For all she knows he might not be allowed to be with her. She didn’t think so based on comments he made in the past.  _‘But maybe he is unaware?’_  She glances at Hatter to see if he can assuage her fears, but he is frowning slightly as if he is trying to figure something out. They follow the Queens and Tarrant through the maze until they reach the middle. Mirana gracefully sits on one of the benches and motions for Alice and Hatter to seat themselves.

 Alice K. stands there in the middle of the clearing and Tarrant takes his place behind her. She takes a deep breath, deciding she will just lay it all out there. “Tarrant and I are giving up our kingdom to you, David. Wonderland has chosen you, and we agree with her choice.” Alice gasps but before she reacts anymore, Alice K. continues, “And Alice, you have a choice. You can remain here or you can leave. But be warned, the longer you stay here, the more Wonderland will make her will known to you. This is the gift of Wonderland to you. You can choose if you want to stay or not. But, know that David will be King. Wonderland has almost finished investing him. There are only a couple of things left before he becomes King, and one of them is choosing his Queen.” Alice K. stops and stands there watching her and waiting for her reaction.

Alice sits there frozen. Hatter is not only a prince but will become King now?  And he has to  _choose_  a queen?  _‘With that statement are they telling her she is not in the running? Why?_   _What happened to happy endings?’_  She could feel so many things conflicting inside her and couldn’t take having these…these  _people_  staring at her. She shoots up and runs out of the center of the maze, dimly hearing Hatter call her name frantically, but she doesn’t hesitate and continues to run. She needs to think and figure out what is happening!  _Hatter, while you didn’t lie, your secrets are worse than lies and you’re gonna lose me because of them!_  She briefly thinks of calling Chess, but a sob catches in her throat and she runs in search of somewhere no one will see or find her.

Hatter had been staring at his parents in shock. Then he felt Alice go still, then jump up and run. Hatter yells after her, realizing what she is thinking and how wrong it all is. Before he can take off, he feels a hand on his arm and turns around to see his mum there.

“David, let her go.”

He stares in shock and then without thinking, yells at her, “Alice thought she had killed me, her ex boyfriend, and any chance for the Resistance. She found out the hard way how her father forgot her; then she was ridiculed and mentally assaulted until she basically became catatonic. Alice somehow brought herself out of it and decided to fight for freedom for her people and in the process found out I was alive, Jack was alive, her father knew her, and  _then_  she faced down the Queen of Hearts for me. After all that, she finds out that you are real, Fa is real, and that I am a prince. Before she has a chance to process all of  _that_ , I nearly die on her, then am brought back to life, and then we bring her here. Now you are telling her that you are giving me a throne and that she  _isn’t good enough to be my queen!”_ Hatter’s eyes have been steadily been growing darker and darker.  “Understand this, I love her and will have no other. If it comes down to it, I will leave Wonderland and go with her to her land. I love her that much and more. And I have promised to never let her go without a fight.” With that he tears his arm from his mother’s hand and runs after Alice.

Alice K. holds her hand to mouth, shocked. She never wanted to have Alice doubt herself, she just wanted her to have a choice and to know how everything stood. ‘ _What have I done?’_

* * *

_[](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Alice-Signature-1.gif)_


	3. All I Dream About

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Revelations-3-1.jpg)

**Disclosure: I do NOT own anything but that my little brain thinks of when my fingers do the walkin..**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Broken by Lifehouse_

* * *

Alice runs into the maze losing herself purposefully to get away from everything, to help her forget the words that tore her future apart; it might be childish but she can’t help it. She could barely see through the tears or breathe through the pain of her broken heart. ‘ _Why can’t I have anything without it being taken away?’_   She finally collapses on a bench in an alcove, crying so hard she can’t get enough breath to make a sound. She can not explain why it hurts so much to think that Hatter would not be with her. She feels like she is literally falling apart. All she could ask now is, ‘ _Why? Had she not done everything that this world wanted from her? Did she not suffer enough? Did she not love enough?_ ‘  Alice wrapped her arms around herself while rocking back and forth.

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/kittyinaz.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/absolem-in-smoke.gif)

Absolem watches this new Alice. He does not approve of what Alice Kingsliegh has done. He is aware that part of her reasoning is that she had just gotten David back and does not want to let him go. But to do this, to refer to it as a ‘reward’, that made it worse and hammered at Alice’s fragile psyche.

Tarrant should have known better. He had already seen the beginnings of the bond forming between his son and Alice and should have stopped his mate. After how long Alice has lived here in Wonderland, they all tend to forget she is not Wonderland born and bred. That does not excuse her, or any of them, for doing this to the new Champions of Wonderland.

But then is he not also to blame? He is aware of what will happen to David  _and_  Alice if this situation is not resolved, and yet he has not told David where to find his Alice. Absolem thinks about it and realizes that, unfortunately, he has a part to play; his own redemption for allowing this to happen.

Alice needs to be stable; David and Wonderland need her stable, and Wonderland realizes she needs to heal her Champion since she has almost broken the girl.  Wonderland knows that David and Alice will be bonded and had thought that starting it early would heal everything. But, she had underestimated her other Champion’s feelings of threatened motherhood and this Alice’s feelings of inadequacy.

Absolem sighs wishing for his hookah. To fix this, Absolem knows he couldn’t be the Absolem he presents to most people. Absolem quietly flies away and once he is where Alice couldn’t hear him, he calls Chessur.

“How can I help you now?” Chess lazily inquires as he materializes examining his claws on his one paw as he leans his head on the other.

“Alice needs David and David needs Alice, but not quite yet, you stupid cat. I need to start the healing process for Alice, but she will need David before too much longer.”

Chess sits up looking a little worried, which for him is telling of  _how_  worried he truly is. “What is wrong with Alice? And, why is David not with her now?”

Absolem quietly sighs but knows he needs Chess’s help. Aside from David, Alice is most likely to trust Chess. In fact, Chess might be the only one that either of the couple will trust. “Alice of Legend drove the new Champion Alice away. She thought she was doing the girl a favor, but the way she presented the choices caused David’s Alice to believe that she couldn’t stay with him. They have started the bonding process and between her own insecurities, not knowing anything about the bonding, and everything else that has happened in the past day or so, Alice of Legend’s statements proved to be the tipping point and broke her.

“To make matters worse, our Alice held David back, and has received the shock that every mother receives; her son is grown, he does not rely on her, and she is no longer the only woman he loves or is even in the first place in his heart. Now he is searching for Alice, barely keeping the Madness in place. His Alice is broken, our Alice is coming to grips with what she has done, and Tarrant is being torn in half. Tarrant knows this is needed and is glad that his son is grown and found love, yet he is sad and trying to stay sane while his mate hurting. Mirana is working with the two of them. I am going to work with Alice. You need to help David.”

Chess stood there with his mouth open, shocked that Absolem said so much and is actually going to interfere. Chess can’t remember the last time this has happened. He then closes his mouth as he processes what has been said. “There is much sorrow today when there should be much happiness. I will go and see what I can do. But, it may take Alice if he gives in to his madness, you know. He is his father’s son.”

Absolem thinks and tells his longtime friend, “If you hurry, you should be able to stave it off. Tell him what I told you and let him know you will bring him to Alice, but that I need to talk with her first.”

Chess mentally reviews everything and asks, “Where is Alice?”

“On the other side of the hedges. Now go you stupid cat.”

Chess looks at him and slowly fades out.

Absolem is connected to the Oraculum in ways that most people can’t understand. He quickly uses this connection to see if they are in the clear yet. He sees that while there is progress, it will take Alice and David being together and bonded for it to end well. He sighs and flies to Alice.

* * *

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/kittyinaz.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/hatter-crying.jpg)

Hatter is getting desperate to find his Alice. He can’t believe how everything went to bloody hell so fast. Hatter had been getting ready to show Alice how much he loves her and wants to be with her, and then all this happens. He was not the least bit exaggerating when he said he would leave everything to be with her. He loves her and is aware that she needs time to heal, and he will be there with her every step of the way. ‘ _Where is she?’_

Chess slowly materializes before David and calls softly so as not to surprise him, “David.”

Hatter stops, barely restraining from lashing out. Seeing his longtime playmate and friend, he holds his hand up for a moment while he closes his eyes to reign in his temper. He knows Chess genuinely likes Alice and would never condone what his mum did.

Chess realizes the situation is pretty bad. David’s eyes are black. The skin around his eyes is already and beginning to darken further out. This causes Chess to hasten in telling him, “Absolem told me what had happened. I am so sorry David.” He then floats lower until he wraps himself around Hatter’s shoulders.  “Absolem sent me to you to guide you to her, but we need to take our time since Absolem is taking an interest in her.”

Hatter’s shoulder jerks as he looks at Chess and chokes out, “In his usual way?  What is he thin-“

“David!! Absolem is acting atypically and is taking care of this personally. He knows how to deal with Alice. Do you think I would be here if I didn’t trust him?”

With that comment, Hatter relaxes knowing Chess would not leave Alice unless he thought that it would be better for her. Then his eyes flick to Chess, remembering what he said at the beginning of the conversation. “Chess, why did Mum do this? When I asked her earlier about Alice and I, she was thrilled. I just… I don’t understand.”

Chess mulls over it and musingly replying, “Knowing your mum the way I do, she probably thought it was best to tell Alice everything so she could make a fully informed decision about what is best for her. From what Absolem said, it didn’t come out the right way.”

Hatter growls out, “She basically told her that I am to be King and that she is not worthy of being my Queen. Or at least that is what Alice is thinking.”

Chess stares at him dispassionately and asks, “How do you know this David?” He knows why, but part of the bonding is that the pair must both acknowledge it. If David knows what is going on, he can help Alice decide and guide her through the process. Chess is feigning disinterest, though in reality he is very interested in these two – even more than he is in Alice of Legend. He is not sure why, but he has a feeling that he is going to be much more involved with this Alice, and it makes him strangely happy.

Hatter thinks on what Chess is asking him. He knows Chess well enough to know that there is another reason for the question.  _‘How **had**  he known what Alice had thought at that crucial moment?’_ He frowns thinking about it; he has been feeling odd lately and seemed to know what Alice needed him to do when they confronted the Queen of Hearts, without a single word being said. He also thinks back to when they had worked in concert with Jack, and the pain he had physically felt when he had thought of sending her away. Staring at Chess in shock, he realizes what is happening. “It’s the Bonding isn’t it? But I thought… And…” Hatter trails off trying to get over his shock. Then he gathers himself and states, “It began awhile ago; that’s why we could work so well together.”

Chess nods and comments lazily, “I think it happened the first time you were with her. But, it is not fully formed since neither of you have acknowledged it. With what your mother has done to Alice, well, you may very well need Absolem to help fix everything.”

Hatter stares at Chess and then his shoulders slump down. He leans his back against the hedge, which is as solid as a wall, and slides down to sitting position with his arms around his knees and his head on his arms. “I guess we will know when we can go to Alice…”

Chess curls tighter, effectively hugging him and purring, trying to comfort the dejected Hatter.

* * *

Alice is still sitting on the bench, mindlessly rocking herself, lost in her emotions. She could only mindlessly repeat to herself, ‘ _Why?’_  and is unable to break herself out of this loop. She can also hear herself screaming in pain and denial. Her determination that no one will see her weakness is so strong, that an observer would not see anything wrong. They would just notice a woman who is slightly rocking and rubbing her arms like she is trying to keep warm.

Absolem stares at her trying to figure out a way to pull her out of where she is. He begins to think that it may be too late, and they will need David after all. He is concerned,  _very_  concerned. They can not lose their Champion to herself. After thinking for a second, he decides to try the direct approach. He lands on Alice’s shoulder and, using a wing to softly brush her hair to the side, gently asks the catatonic woman, “Sweet Child, Beloved of Hatter and Wonderland, why are you weeping?”

Alice hears someone talking and tries to surface. The voice sounds like her Grandfather and she so desperately needs someone to help her…

Absolem can see her reacting and continues, “Beloved one, please come back to us and tell me why you are so sad.”

Alice blinks and then, looking around, sees the blue butterfly that had been so scathing to Hatter after he almost died. She blanches but before she can do more, the butterfly caresses her cheek with a wing and gently tells her, “That’s better, Cherished One.”

Alice chokes out in reply to his words, “I am not cherished by anyone.” A single tear makes its way down her cheek.

Absolem continues to stroke her cheek with his wing and asks her, “Do you deny that Hatter cherishes you?”

“No,” Alice quietly answers. She can never deny that after everything he has done, said, and gone through for her.

Absolem nods and continues to ask, “Then can you deny the title?”

Alice thinks and says just as quietly and reservedly, “No.”

Absolem nods; he is making progress. Then he asks again, “Why are you weeping, Cherished One?”

Alice looks down at the butterfly and then looks out at the maze as she answers honestly, “Because I am falling apart, still breathing, with a broken heart that is still beating.”

Absolem is pleasantly shocked that she answered truthfully. He pushes his advantage, “But who has broken your heart? Has Hatter broken your heart?”

Alice is still staring off and thinking about his question and answers, “No, he hasn’t as far as I know”

Absolem hummed, understanding that in her mind, she is trying to qualify if Hatter wants her, either as herself or as his queen. He thinks quickly and then he asks, “Do you  _feel_  like he has?”

Alice is surprised by this question. Especially since her heart and mind both answer the same thing – “No.”

Absolem “hmmm’s” again and asks, “Does it matter what others think or want for you two, if Hatter loves you?”

Alice stares at the blue butterfly and contemplates what he has asked.  _‘Does it matter what anyone thinks? Does she trust Hatter or not? Because that is the real question, does she trust Hatter with her heart and to do what is right for them?’_  And, the answer is yes. With that simple and absolute answer she turns to Absolem and tells him, “Thank you. That is the question that needed to be asked. And now I give you a question, where is he?”

Absolem is relieved and…happy? He then realizes that they had basically watched Alice Kingsliegh grow up with all her muchness and she had entranced them. When she came back later as a young woman, they had to work to help her regain her muchness. Through the process  of her regaining it, she brought courage to Wonderland, changing it for the better.

This Alice is going to bringing love and caring to this world. He knows that this will be a better and more lasting change to Wonderland. He understands now why Wonderland needs her so much; she wants to feel love again. He looks at her, keeping the awe from his face, and asks her, “Do you wish to go to him?”

Alice looks at him and before she could answer, she hears someone coming. She looks up and sees Alice K. coming her way. She freezes for a second, then her temper erupts and she barely held onto it with her fingers. ‘ _This is Hatter’s mother, control yourself Alice!’_

Absolem stares in disbelief, he just can’t believe the fates and what they are doing. Are they  _trying_ to break Alice? He quickly thinks and then quietly says, “Chess, we need David  _now._ ” Then he thinks to himself, ‘ _How much more can the girl stand_?’

Alice slides to a stop in front of the other Alice and…Absolem? She stands there shocked that Absolem had involved himself; he normally is so aloof. Then she shakes herself out of it and goes to the other Alice. She needs to set this straight.  Tarrant and Mirana had spoken with her and let her know that she can either accept both of them, or have neither.

Alice K. never meant for this to happen. She then looks at Alice H. who obviously is ready to fight her and realizes that there is a reason why Alices are almost always commented upon for their muchness. This one has it in spades and she suspects that if she wasn’t David’s mother, she would be hearing quite a bit from the woman in front of her.

Alice of Legend thinks quickly and blurts, “I am so sorry Alice. I never meant you to think you are not acceptable as Queen. Who am I to judge?  I just was trying to give you the choice and what the outcome would be either way. David needs a queen and it would give me no greater joy to have you as my daughter-in-law. I didn’t want you to think you have no choice, or that you have to stay here in Wonderland,”  Alice K pleads with Alice.

Alice stares at the woman who had just a little while ago put her in pure… “Hell.  You put me through pure hell. I don’t know how Hatter feels, but you made me feel like shit. I don’t appreciate it.” She stares at the woman in front of her. She realizes Absolem not only helped her bring her back to herself and deal with everything, but he had also helped to put things in complete focus. Hatter is all that matters. What she feels for him is so beyond anything she has ever felt. She already knows that she plans to stay in Wonderland, because while she had no doubt that he would follow her, she can not see him enjoying her world. Quite frankly, with all the wonderful things she has seen, she’s not sure would enjoy going back. She also can see that her doubts about their relationship had left her open for the Queen of Hearts to manipulate her. Those doubt had ended up hurting Alice and Hatter at a time they couldn’t afford to have any divisions; she is determined not to let it happen or to lose her nerve again.

Before either Alice could say another word, Hatter arrives. Without a glance to his mum, he moves quickly to Alice, grabs her, and hugs her to his chest. “Oh thank heavens…Alice…” he murmurs. They both relax having the other half of their soul here with them. The healing of their pain is starting.

Alice watches her son and realizes what Tarrant aleady has; these two are in the process of Bonding and may actually end up being closer than Tarrant and herself. Then she feels very ashamed. Tarrant had been correct that she had wanted David to herself. She had not lied, she feels a very real debt to Alice, but her son has returned after long centuries in the Red Kingdom and she wanted him to be hers. She had forgotten that he had grown during that time. Now the proof is that Wonderland wants him as King, and he has found true love in a very worthy woman.

Hatter holds his love to him. He had felt a little frantic when Chess had twitched and told Hatter, “We need to go to Alice _now.”_ Hatter had no thought beyond getting to Alice. He jumped up, dislodged Chess, and ran to where his heart and Wonderland told him to go. When he came around the corner, he  heard what she said to his mum and is proud of her. He is unsure of what Absolem has done, but  _his_  Alice is back. He murmurs to her, “I will never choose anyone but you, and if anyone disagrees we will leave.”

He pulls back from her and looking in her eyes tells her, “I love you, Alice Hamilton, and I will never let you go. Nothing can force us apart.”  Hatter stares into her eyes until she nods in agreement. In relief, he then kisses her, pouring his passion and love in the kiss. He feels her go slightly lax in his arms and can’t help the smirk that appears. He remembers what he had planned to do earlier and pulls away from the kiss, drops to his knee and pulls the Ring of Wonderland from his pocket.

Looking up at her, he tells her, “I was meaning to do this earlier at the Tea Party. I love you, Alice, and I want you to be mine in every sense of the word. Will you do me the honor of assenting to be my wife? I want no one but you, and I want everyone to know that.”

Alice stands there shocked, but how can she deny him? “Yes! Oh god…yes, Hatter!” She smiles down at him in pure happiness and he slides the Ring onto her finger, jumps up and pulls her back into his arms to hug and then he swings around in a circle until she laughs. He puts her down and they stare into each other’s eyes.

Alice softly tells him, “You are my other half Hatter, in every way. Only you know just how to take me from being angry to happy with just your presence.  Thank you.”

Hatter softly replies without thinking, “There is nothing for you to thank.”

* * *

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Alice-Signature-1.gif)


	4. All my Secrets Away

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_Song I listened to for this chapter: Secrets by OneRepublic_ _Song used for the One Shot that is now integrated into this_ _: Come on Get Higher by Matt Nathanson_

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Hatter holds his love to him closely, overjoyed that she has accepted his suit for her hand. He hadn’t been worried that she would until his mum dropped her bomb on them. Maybe she would want a prince, but a king? That’s a whole new kettle of onions. The only reason his fa wasn’t King Tarrant, was because they had not made it to the Kingdom. He now suspects that this is why Wonderland is investing them both with so much power. He kisses the top of her head, leans down to her ear and tells her, “We need to talk luv. May I ask Chess to take us to our oasis?”

Alice is happy; he loves her and wants her and no one else. She is very content to just stay in his arms for the rest of their lives. Then she feels him kiss her head and whisper that they need to talk, suggesting their oasis for the location. She looks into his warm brown eyes and nods in agreement; it will be good to get things settled. She has an odd feeling that they need to do this soon. Alice frowns, thinking about the feeling but before she can ask Hatter, he has already asked Chess for the afore mentioned favor. Chess floats down and touches them. The next thing she knows is that she feels as if she is being…  _welcomed back?_  She barely notices Chess leaving them.

“Hatter!?!” Alice gasps. The feeling is unbelievable. It feels as though she is being wrapped up in a warm blanket and loved – and not just on the outside. It feels as though her entire being, heart and soul, is being accepted. Luckily, Hatter is holding her or she would have collapsed with the shock of the suddenness and how  _deep_  the feeling goes through her body.

Hatter feels staggered with the feelings he started receiving from the Kingdom when they appeared. But, he had been feeling these for awhile now and is somewhat used to them. When he hears Alice gasp out his name, he tightens his arms around her just as her legs give out.

 ‘ _Calm down!!’_  he yells in his head at the Kingdom. He then turns his attention to his love. “Alice!” She looks at him, dazed, and he realizes he is going to have to calm her down. He chuckles to himself. This answers his question of if the Kingdom would accept her; it obviously does and is overjoyed.

“Alice, take a deep breath and let me know when you are ready, I’ll be right here.  It’s the Kingdom of the Knights. I think it is letting us know that it is happy and accepts our engagement.” Hatter picks her up bridal style, smiling to himself, remembering earlier in Marmoreal as he takes her to their bed from before. He lays her down and lays down next to her, holding her to him, murmuring how much he loves her while he waits patiently for her to get used to these new feelings. His experience was nothing like this. It was more gradual since the Kingdom woke up while he was here. Instead, Alice is getting the whole connection to it in one fell swoop.  He needs to tell her more and, truth be told, is wondering how she is going to handle this and the Bonding when he explains it to her.

He thinks back to when he believes they started the process. If he had known his feelings were because of the bonding, he would have talked to her then. The process probably led to her feeling a little more unbalanced in the beginning since all a bonded couple wants and needs is to be with their other half.

Alice could barely hear Hatter and is lost for a second in the emotions. It feels as if she is opening up and becoming more than she was before. She has heard people refer to the land as alive, but this… this is unbelievable. She can definitely feel the love and joy the land has for her. Like Charlie, it is lonely. It has been waiting a long time…  _for them?_   She is puzzled. _Does that mean the land knew she was coming?_  It hastens to reassure her that her choices led her here, not anything it or Wonderland as a whole had done to force this outcome. But, the Kingdom of Knights also knows that to be whole, it will need both her and Hatter. It relaxes its hold on her but left the feelings of happiness and love and a faint feeling of the land’s presence in the back of her mind.

Alice looks up in amazement at Hatter. “How long have you been feeling  _that_?”

Hatter smiles softly at her. “Not quite like that, luv, but since I entered the Kingdom the first time. It welcomed me and steadily grew. I think I woke it up when I first came here and now, it  _knows_  that Mum and Fa are giving it to us. I feel like this is what was meant to be, but, luv, there is a lot to explain to you.”  He gazes at her and he looks…  _worried?_

“Hatter, what’s wrong?” Alice looks a little worried herself because of the worry she suddenly feels. What could worry Hatter?

“Alice, I promised to tell you all my secrets. Now that we have got this far, well, I’m frankly worried on how you are going to take most of the information. I need to tell you this, but I also need you to understand this  _IS_  Wonderland – it may try to go back to a kid’s story if it can. But, I love you, and if you cannot accept this, well, we’ll find out a way around it.” Hatter stares steadily into her eyes letting her know his worries and that he will not, no,  _can not,_  lose her.

Alice’s eyes widen as she replies to him softly, “Someone once told me to start at the beginning.”

Hatter chuckles, remembering the night she is referencing. He thinks for a moment and asks her if they can get a little more comfortable, since this will take awhile. They both sit up and he pulls her to him so that she is leaning back, her back to his chest, and his arms around her.

“It’s hard to decide where the beginning is. Let’s start with a little back story about Wonderland and my parents. Wonderland is alive, Alice, and she seems to have a strange affection for you Alices. No one is quite sure if there were other Alices but we have always seemed to know that there was  _an_  Alice everything was waiting on. In fact, Wonderland was in a holding pattern waiting on her.  That Alice was my mum. She first came when she was six and turned the world on its axis. Then she left. The world was somewhat better but still in that holding pattern. No one could figure out why, but everyone went on with their lives except my fa; he waited on her. She later came back. From her perspective, she’d been gone for six months. It was a lot longer from Wonderland’s. That’s when the third Kingdom, the Kingdom of Knights was formed, for her. She won the Kingdom in a game of Chess, but she had to leave and grow up. She couldn’t do that here because of her being an outsider. The Red King had agreed to watch over the Kingdom until she returned.” Hatter takes a breath and continues.

“But Time is finicky. Especially after Fa and he got in a fight and Fa killed him so that he could wait for Alice. Which no one understood the particulars of, though at the same time they had something else occupying their attention. By then the Red Queen, the Queen of Hearts, Iracebeth, decided that she wanted the Crown of Wonderland, and Time was the least of their worries.”

“Hatter, I thought she was the Queen, why would she want the Crown of Wonderland?” Alice interrupts, which she hates to do, however she remembers having this same question earlier.

Hatter blinks and then answers. He keeps forgetting she doesn’t understand everything and will need some clarification. “Well… The land used to be ruled by the King and Queen of Wonderland. You may know them as Oberon and Tatiana. They had Mirana and Iracebeth, and then they just… lost interest in Wonderland. Wonderland spoke with them and they decided to split the land between the two sisters. Wonderland agreed with that, but told them while both will have the title Queen and all the responsibilities, only one could wear the Crown of Wonderland, or as it was called in those days, Underland. The reason is whomever wears the Crown of Wonderland affects the land. Tatiana and Oberon decided that even though Iracebeth was the elder, she was too temperamental, and that Mirana should wear the crown.” Hatter looks down at his mate in his arms and quietly requests of her, “Any other questions, luv? And please ask.  Otherwise I’ll think I have covered everything.”

Alice promptly asks, “Underland to Wonderland?”

Hatter laughs, remembering his lessons from a certain butterfly on this very subject. “Absolem is still upset about that. It’s all my mother’s fault of course.  She misheard everyone when she was six and called it Wonderland. One of the people she met here eventually left, and wanting to honor her, wrote her story in Aboveland and called it Wonderland. Wonderland was enamored by it and decided to change her name.” Alice gasps softly. Hatter looks down at her in concern and asks, “What’s wrong, luv?”

Alice sighs and answers, “I need to speak with my father, but I may be a little more connected with Wonderland than we thought.”

Hatter frowns and thinks for a second. He has had some suspicions and now it seems Alice does as well. “Ok, we’ll visit with your father later and see what we can find out. Not that it matters, I will love you no matter what, you know.”

Alice looks up, smiling into his warm brown eyes. “I know, and I love you too, Hatter.”

Hatter grins with dimples gracing his face as he requests, “If I may continue?”

Alice nods, getting comfortable again, and watches the water next to them reflecting the stars above as she listens to the falls around her.

“So, Iracebeth attacked the White Queen on Horunvendush Day when she was at Witzend celebrating with the entire Hightopp clan. The Jabberwocky attacked and destroyed the village, killing all the Hightopps except for Fa who had been the Royal Hatter. When the attack commenced, he took the White Queen to safety. That attack gained the Red Queen the Crown and the only weapon that can destroy the Jabberwocky – the Vorpal Sword.” Hatter stops for a second and says quietly, “That was when Fa first started to go Mad. He became the leader of the Resistance around that time.”

Alice can hear the sadness in Hatter’s voice. She feels a tear slip down her cheek for the Mad Hatter. She hesitantly asks, “Hatter, Jaberwocky? The thing that chased us in the woods?”

Hatter looks down and gently wipes the tear from Alice’s cheek, touched, as always, by her caring feelings for others. He is reminded of her when they were in the Great Library, when she was asking about the refugees. He had been having feelings for her before then – mostly lust, maybe some pity when she had been scared on the ledge – but when he really started to fall for her? When she showed such sympathy and compassion for the poor souls he had worked in secret to feed.

“The jabberwocks are a lesser breed. There have only been two Jabberwockies,  and Mum destroyed both, once when she won this kingdom and later when she came back. But, you’re getting ahead in the story, luv.” He smiles down at her.

“Where was I?” Hatter kisses the top of her head absently and leans his head on hers in thought. “Oh yes, my fa headed up the Resistance. They used Outlandish to distinguish who was part of it and who were spies. One of the pass phrases was ‘Downal wyth Bluddy Behg Hid’, which, before you ask, means ‘Down with Bloody Big Head’, since Iracebeth had a  _very_ large head.  There were other pass phrases as well.” Hatter stops again for just a second remembering the one Mad March had unknowingly used on the son of the man who invented it. The one that had snapped him out of his madness in the torture rooms in the Casino.

“There is a scroll that shows everyday of Wonderland’s past and future. It’s called the Oraculum. Absolem is the keeper of it and it only shows what it wants to.  Due to the pure misery that Iracebeth’s rule had upon the residents of Wonderland, he looked at the scroll and for the first time in Wonderland’s history showed it to others. What it showed was Alice coming back and slaying the Jabberwock on Frabjous Day. Fa saw it and immediately put the Resistance on hold to be ready when she came, and he waited for her at the Tea Table. When it came close to Gribling Day, the day of Alice’s return, Nivens returned to your world and retrieved her. She didn’t remember Wonderland, thinking it was her dream that has been recurring for the past 12-14 years. She hadn’t realized until much later  _how_  much time had passed in Wonderland. She had some adventures running from the bandersnatch and having all the people who welcomed her to Wonderland either captured or barely escaping. The Oraculum was lost in the confusion and no one thought they had the right Alice since she had grown up since she was six and they hadn’t anticipated the changes in her.”  Hatter shifts some and lays his head back on her shoulder.

“Chess finally saw her, and though he knew that she was  _the_  Alice, he never told. (He’s another one of the beings that seem to know more than he should. He helped bandage her wound from the bandersnatch and took her to Fa, who of course recognized her immediately. He worked to hide her from Stayne, the Red Knave, to protect her and help her regain her muchness.  He gave himself up to the Red Knave to protect her and she came after him to rescue him from Crims.  She retrieved the sword and tried to rescue Fa, but the Red Knave found out who she was, and went after her. She escaped on the bandersnatch, who had befriended her, and made her way to Mirana. She was still denying that she was the Champion of Wonderland and  _that_  Alice. Even after Fa had come back with the Oraculum and all the creatures were freed from the Red Queen, she still denied who she was. The following day, Fa, already in love with her, stepped forth to be the Champion. Chess and others also stepped forward and tried to protect what they really believed to be  _the_  Alice, the little girl they all loved. They consulted the Oraculum and it showed Alice had to be Champion. She ran off and found Absolem who helped her remember who she was. She acknowledged the debt to Wonderland and donned the armor you saw her in when she appeared in the Red Kingdom. With some help from my fa, she slayed the Jabberwocky. She then left, even though Fa asked her to stay. She told him she had some things to finish and that she would be back soon. Again, she had no idea of how Time was tricky or how it ran differently in Aboveland than here.”

Alice had to stop Hatter. “Time, you act like it is a real person, and what do you mean time runs different here?”

Hatter looks at Alice. He asks her, “How long ago was the story of Alice in Wonderland written?”

Alice thinks on it and answers him, knowing the information very well. “149 years.”

Hatter blanches. “Well here, it’s been 500 years since it was written. And a total of over 6,000 years since the events happened. I am sorry, luv, thought it had been longer than that.”

Alice whitens and asks shakily, “How…how is Alice, your Fa, and everyone else still alive, Hatter?”

He sighs, not wanting to get into this with her yet, but knowing that he needs to address it. “No one dies in Wonderland unless they are killed or want to let go of life, Alice. For those of us born here, we age to what age either we want or Wonderland wants us at. For those of you from Aboveland, it is all up to Wonderland. Most of the time you are frozen at the age you come here. Some of you continue to age. Mum and you, are Champions of Wonderland so you will be treated as though you were born here.”

Alice goes over it in her mind and then as something occurs to her. “How old are you, Hatter?”

Hatter knows this will be a shock and tries to soften it for her, “First, Alice, let me explain Unbirthdays to you. Once a Wonderlander has reached his age that he is frozen at, he doesn’t have birthdays. They are called ‘Unbirthdays’ since he is not aging, and, well, Wonderlanders like to celebrate.”

Alice looks at him with a bad feeling starting to nag at her. “Hatter…”

Hatter sighs, “I am 25 Alice in Wonderland years. But I am over 5,000 years old as you would count it in Aboveland. This does not mean the same as you think, Alice.”

Alice stares at Hatter, trying to wrap her mind around it. The Kingdom and Wonderland cautiously show her what Hatter is saying. Time is truly fickle in Wonderland. That is why years didn’t matter. One year could be a day or 4 years as she would count it. A day can last an hour or it could last forty two hours.  Since Time is so fickle in her land, Wonderland gave the gift of aging to her residents.

These two entities showing her what Hatter means make it easier for her to understand in a few seconds what it would have taken hours for Hatter to help her understand. Age really did not matter in this land and Hatter is really 25, the same age as she is. She looks up at Hatter and smiles. “Hmm well this connection is going to help some. Wonderland and the Kingdom showed me what you mean.”

Hatter slumps in relief and says a silent ‘ _thank you’_  to both of them for helping. They sent a wordless feeling of appreciation and that they are trying to help.

Hatter hugs Alice to him in relief that she understands. He murmurs to her softly, “Thank you, Alice.  Just thank you.”

She realizes that she had worried him and assures him, “I am not leaving you, Hatter. I may need some time to understand some things, but I’m not ever leaving you.” Alice turns her head, staring him in the eye as she says slowly and very deliberately, “I promise to never leave you, Hatter, of my own volition.”

Hatter’s eyes widen as he sees the ripple that means a true promise that is accepted by Wonderland and that she will enforce. Wonderland also tells him that she will  _help_  keep this promise. As far as she is concerned, no one is to take them away from each other. He quickly replies to Alice, “I promise to never leave you, Alice, of my own volition.”

Alice watches a ripple in the air and feels Wonderland agree to their promises. Her smile widens as she raises her head for a kiss which Hatter gladly gives her. She relaxes in his arms and enjoys this kiss that is pure love and dedication.  Hatter raises his head and tells her softly, “I need to finish the story Alice. There is something happening to us that you need to know…” Alice nods in agreement trusting that it is not something that is going to hurt her.

“Hmm..” Hatter ponders and then remembering where he had been, continues the story. “My mum left Wonderland and my fa. Devastated him really, but he went back to table to sit and wait for her, believing in her when she said she would be back. He knew that time flowed differently, but he also knew that she had made a promise that Wonderland accepted, so she would be back.” Hatter pauses thinking of the pain his fa had gone through. “He also knew one other important thing – he and Mum had started the Bonding process.”

Alice frowns and opens her mouth to ask a question, but Hatter puts a finger on her lips and quietly says, “Before you ask a question, let me finish, Alice, or else I may not be able to get through this part.”

Alice nods. Hatter continues, “You have probably heard someone refer to either of my parents as the Mate of the other. This is a mark of the Bonding Ritual and it means more than husband and wife. They are married, but the title of Mate is of high honor and they both go by that title than the other. The Bonding process is an ancient right that was meant for rulers and for those in true love. It binds the souls and in times of need, it will help to join the two closer so they will act in concert for the better of everyone. Iracebeth abolished it, thinking her decree would make it disappear, since she didn’t want her king to know her true feelings. Mirana never married, and the last Royal, didn’t remember. But it is a rite in Outland, where my fa and the March Hare are from. A common rite since it is a matter of necessity in that rough land. So, it didn’t disappear, just became easily ignored for the later Royals.”

Hatter sighs softly and then continues, “The Bonding process had started with my parents because they were in true love. When my mother left, it hurt them both badly. You see the process needs them in close contact to each other when it is happening. Neither had acknowledged it, so it was painful but not life threatening. When you are apart, it feels like your soul is torn in half and the pain doesn’t end until you end up back with each other. The short of it was, my mum completed what she needed to and came back. My parents had more adventures both before she acknowledged that she loved my fa and then afterwards, since this is Wonderland, and the adventure never seems to end.”

Hatter smiles at the memories of those stories, and then frowns. “When they did acknowledge it, the Bonding process was completed, but my mum still wanted a wedding. My fa gave her anything she wanted and so they got married. The day they were married, Mirana also reminded Mum of her obligation as a Queen of the land. She communicated with the Red King and found that he was tired. He wanted to leave, so Mum was going to reclaim her Kingdom. Before she left, she found she was pregnant and Fa insisted that she stay in Marmoreal until I was born. The Red King and Mirana both agreed, and so Mum and the Red King communicated until she learned what she needed from him and then I was born. Due to the Red Kings wishes, my mum left me in Marmoreal and went to the Kingdom so he could leave. Somehow the Queen of Hearts found out. That was when she destroyed the Kingdom of the Knights. Thanks to Absolem’s quick thinking, he saved the White Kingdom from having the same thing happen to it by proclaiming that Mum will over throw the Queen of Hearts. Constance reacted to that by making Mirana and my parents promise that they would not overthrow her or attack in retaliation for that awful day. My presence was kept secret and eventually when I found out what happened, I decided that I had a responsibility to the Kingdom and to help overthrow the Queen of Hearts. That’s when I joined the Resistance. The rest you know.” They grin now appreciating what Absolem did in not letting anyone know there was another Alice coming.

Hatter contemplates then tells her another huge piece of the puzzle, “The biggest shock all was that the current Queen of Hearts was the daughter of the previous one. She married Winston, whom Mirana installed as the King of Hearts and is a _very_  distant cousin of theirs. She had to search hard since Iracebeth murdered everyone related to either of them to make sure that she would remain the Queen of Hearts. But Constance was the daughter of Iracebeth and Stayne and she really attacked the Kingdom in revenge of how her parents were treated. That was 5,000 years ago when she came to power and then 1,000 years after that was when she attacked the Kingdom.

Alice stares at him. She works to understand what he has told her and what the Kingdom shown her. As she assimilates everything, something catches her attention. “Hatter?”

Hatter knows what she is going to ask and answers her, “Yes, luv, we are in the process of the Bonding.” He chokes and then says, “I am sorry, luv, it’s not something I knew about either until Chess found me in the maze.” He holds her close hoping she won’t reject him, knowing that she has every right since they will be closer than a couple and he remembers that she mentioned she has had relationship issues before. This is not a marriage as he understands Abovland’s to be. They won’t be able to walk away from it if it doesn’t work. Then he realizes that Alice doesn’t know that Marriages in Wonderland are a lifelong binding as well, they just aren’t soul binding…

Alice thinks about what he has said, and realizes that if promises are binding here in Wonderland, then the only difference is that they really have found their soul mates. She can see nothing wrong with That. This realization shocks her, but she remembers she had made a list of what she wanted in a man and Hatter fit  _all_  of it. And, she loves him so much; she finds that she just doesn’t care about the details of their Bonding. She looks to tell Hatter this and see and feels his anxiety.

“Hatter!”

Hatter looks at her like he is going to say something and she puts her finger on his cupid mouth. “I love you and I have no problem with this Bonding process. In fact, I welcome anything that makes us closer…”

Hatter looks at her in amazement and feels her conviction through their bond. It is so much clearer because she has accepted it. He leans down and kisses her hard. She moans in his mouth as she goes limp in his arms. Hatter stops and stands both of them up. He wants her close to him.

“Alice, my luv….”  He kisses her neck and then moving his way up to her ear and murmurs, “My Mate.”

She moans again and replies back huskily, “Hatter” as he kisses her neck in one of her spots he had memorized earlier. She barely chokes out, “My Mate.”

The emotions explode between the two. Neither can get close enough to the other, each feeling the other’s desire. Hatter barely keeps control as he kisses down her neck. As he kisses her, he can feel her moans echoing through her throat. Each sound makes him harder with his need for her.

Hatter slowly lowers them back to the bed. His hand slides down to her pants and then inside them. “I could really learn to love these, Alice. Not only do they…” He kisses her neck where it meets her shoulders. “Look great on you…” He leaves open mouth kisses as he worships her shoulders, his free hand unlacing her top to allow him more access. “But they make this so much easier,” and he slides his hand under her knickers, caressing her clit until he can sink his fingers inside of her. Alice gasps. Through the bond, Hatter can feel her desire for him spike. “Alice…”

Alice couldn’t think. She knows from the last two times how  _good_  Hatter is at making her feel good. But now…   _Oh ye GODS!!!_  His kisses and his caresses are not just felt by her, but he can now feel the effects of them as well. He can feel what his his caresses do to Alice which heighten his own desire, and she can feel his desire and love increase. Their emotions and desire compounds on itself until Alice drowns in the sensations.

Hatter is slowly losing it. He wants Alice, and she wants him. Not only does he know it, he can  _feel_  it and it’s driving him insane with need. He can hear them both panting though he has barely started to love her. He takes a second and kisses Alice to gather himself. He will not take his Alice like an animal!!

He leans his forehead against hers to gather himself. As he tries to settle, he feels her hands on him, unbuttoning his shirt. He opens his brown eyes to her brilliant blue ones, and she smiles as she touches his bare skin.

Alice tells him, “I have been wanting to touch your skin since Marmoreal when I saw you standing there smirking at me…”

Hatter smirks at her, the same smirk she is referencing, as he answers her, “That was the plan, luv. I always want you and will use whatever I can to have you.”

He leans to the side, grabs the hem of her shirt, and helps her out of it after shrugging his off. He kisses her shoulders as he holds her in his arms. He slowly lowers the straps of her bra off her shoulders to get them out of his way. “Your shoulders drive me nuts, luv.  I always want to kiss them and see them bare…” He leaves open mouth kisses as he trails across her shoulders. Hatter leans back and, reaching in front of him, unhooks her bra in one quick action and then removes it, leaving trails of fire on her skin. He pulls her closer and lays her back down on the blankets they had left earlier. They lie there, skin to skin, one breathing out as the other breathes in, feeling each other through the bond. Hatter reaches up and pulls Alice’s face to his and kisses her tenderly.

Alice can feel her heart melting. Is there any way she could love him more? She leans into him and then, kissing her way up his neck, she huskily tells him, “I  _know_  you want more Hatter, and you  _know_  I want more…” Her hands make it down to his pants and she loosens his belt and then unhooks his pants.

Hatter groans and grabs her hands. “Alice…” He smirks down at her and undoes her pants, watching her eyes laugh up at him in enjoyment. He removes her pants and knickers as one, kissing her skin as it is revealed. She raises herself on her elbows and looks down at him with an eyebrow raised.

His smirk grows wider and he moves up her legs, kissing and worshiping them. He skips her sex, knowing she wants and expects him there, to trail lazy kisses up to her breasts. He teases one breast by licking below them and then trailing kisses between the two and outlines the tops of them with his mouth. Feeling her lust jump again, he grins even more than before as he raises his head.

“Want more, luv?”

She looks at him with desire and lust in her eyes as she bucks up at him. He growls knowing he is losing control.

Alice hears it and pulls his face up to kiss him, feeling sparks jumping on their tongues. She reaches down and frees him from his pants and boxers and slides her hand up and down him slowly.

Hatter moans and rolls off her trying to control himself, knowing he needs to speed up their movements.

Alice grins knowing that he is ridding himself of his clothes. Soon enough he is back on top of her kissing her passionately. Alice can feel his need for her, both physically and emotionally, knowing that with the Bond, he can feel hers the same way. There is an intense need to be one, with nothing separating them.

Hatter leans up on his elbows, his cock at her entrance and as he pants with the need to make her his, he still waits for her to tell him it’s ok. Alice throws her head back and calls his name, as she wraps her legs around him. At the same time, he slides into her, both moving as one.

Alice can not believe how good this feels. It feels so right for him to be in her. “Hatter…” she moans.

Hatter leans down and kisses her as he slides in and out of her, trying to rein in his need to posses her.

Alice can feel his need and lets him know that she needs him too.

 Hatter closes his eyes and kisses her as he picks up his pace. He can feel himself slide deeper and deeper into her and when he feels her orgasm starting, he gasps, “Alice,  Mine!” as he comes, seeing angels and devils flash before his eyes.

Alice screams back, “Yours!” as she sees stars exploding.

They collapsed together and lay there, Hatter trailing lazy kisses wherever he can reach. “You’re mine, Alice, from now to the end of time. My Mate.”

Alice is still coming down from her orgasm, but she can feel his love through their bond and looks him in his eyes, “I’m yours and your mine, Hatter. Nothing can separate us,  My Mate.”

Their actions and words seal the last of the Bonding.

The feelings that envelope the both of them with the complete acceptance of the bond overwhelm the two exhausted Champions. Hatter sighs and rolls to the side, pulling his mate in his arms and lies there with her as the Bonding finishes sealing the two souls to each other. Alice and Hatter lie in each other’s arms until they finally fall asleep in their Kingdom.

Wonderland rejoices at the completion of their Bonding and keeps a careful watch on these two, her Champions and the two who will bring about the future of Wonderland. Nothing will disturb them as they sleep.

* * *

**Fairfarren~**

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	5. Your Eyes Follow Me

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_Song I listened to for this chapter: Full Moon by The Black Ghosts._

* * *

Alice wakes up in Hatter’s arms and smiles. She can feel the Bonding between them now as well as the Kingdom and Wonderland. Who would have ever known that she would be happy having all of this? If someone would have told her a week ago that she would be madly in love with a man from a different world or psychically connected to a country, a land, or to that aforementioned man, she would have laughed and thought the person insane. Especially  _that_  Alice, the old Alice; the Alice that she is now is a totally different person, and she is much happier with this person.

She feels both the Kingdom and Wonderland greet her and then seems to ask her… _questions?_  She frowns trying to understand. She finds it hard to understand what they are asking. It is in pictures and through her eyes simultaneously, so she closes them, trying to make sense of what is going on. It seems they are asking about architecture, and her likes and dislikes? Alice is confused and they both try to calm her, sending soothing pictures and feelings until she finally relaxes again. Then they try again, going slower and she tries again to answer their questions. After a couple of minutes it feels as if they thank her and leave, though she still feels as though they are still connected to her.

She opens her eyes to Hatter’s warm brown ones watching her. He smiles and greets her quietly, “Good morning, luv.”

Alice smiles back and answers him just as quietly, “Good morning.” She snuggles in his arms as he pulls her tightly to him.

Hatter had woken up when Alice did and was asked a series of questions by Wonderland and the Kingdom of the Knights. While he answered them, he felt Alice’s confusion come through their Bond. Before he could react, he felt the Kingdom and Wonderland soothe her and show him that they were asking her the same questions. Hatter calmed and finished answering their questions, having a suspicion about what they were up to. The Kingdom was young as kingdoms went, and this was one basically destroyed. He suspected that they were going to fix things, since this  _is_ Wonderland.

Hatter had watched Alice as she finished answering both lands’ questions, and he felt her love for him travel through the bond. It will take a while for this to fade, if it ever did. Their bond is very strong and while it is fully formed, it will continue to strengthen over the next few days to months. Each Bonding process is as unique as the love between the Bonded is. He has always suspected that the reason his parents continued to be on adventures and resisted coming back to court to get married was because of their Bond. Looking at his own Bonded, his Mate, he could understand that thought process.

Alice gasps as she feels Hatter’s feelings travel through the Bond. “Hatter!” She looks at him with wide eyes and watches him smirk down at her. She then feels the mischievousness seconds before he whisks the blanket off of them and rolls both of them into the pond next to them. She screams as they hit the water and hears Hatter’s laughter before she is submerged.

The water is not as cold as she remembered it being when Hatter rolled into it the first time they had made love. Alice can actually feel it getting warmer, at the same time she can feel the Kingdom’s laughter as it warms the waters for her.  She feels Hatter’s arms wrap around her as he propels them up to the surface. As she breaks the water, she turns in his arms to give him a piece of her mind, but staring at her wet Mate makes all thoughts of straightening him out disappear from her head.

Hatter groans at her look and the emotions coming across their connection. “I dumped us in here to try give us a breather, luv!” Though he doesn’t deny her as he pulls her close and starts to kiss her passionately.

Alice moans and says, “God, Hatter. How are we going to survive the next however long?” She can’t take the tension and moves closer to him and wraps her legs around him.

Hatter grunts as he pulls her close, “I don’t know Alice, but I can tell you that I never want to stop.”

They make love with a passion that shocks them both, but neither complain afterwards as Hatter sits on a ledge with Alice in his arms. Her head is tucked under his as he holds her securely, but with a touch so tender, it couldn’t be taken as anything but pure love.

Alice sighs and asks, “So this Bonding, it is also a formal recognition of our feelings for each other?”

Hatter nuzzles her neck as he answers her. “It’s the most binding ritual except for the binding of rulers to the land, which we seem to also have.”

Alice leans up and kisses him. When they come up for air, she murmurs, “Good.”

Hatter frowns and tries to make sense of what she is saying and even tries to use the Bond. But, all he gets from that is the complete love and contentment she is feeling. “Alice?”

Alice lays her head back in what she is calling her nook as she contentedly hums in response.

Hatter leans back to where he can look her in the eyes as he asks, “Why the question?”

Alice opens her eyes to meets his and states, “Then no one can steal you from me.” She then smirks up at him. “Especially after last night and just now…” Alice purrs at him.

Hatter stares at her. Once her words sink in, he smirks. He leans down and huskily tells her, “Just wait until we have a real room with a bed, luv.” Then he sends his love and constant desire for her through the bond.

Alice takes a deep breath in shock at the emotions she is receiving from Hatter. She glances at him and thinks for a second, concentrating and sending her mutual emotions back at him.

He blinks then grins down at her. “You’re getting the hang of that.” He kisses her softly and then murmurs against her lips, “Definitely getting the hang of it.”

Before they act on their feelings again, they hear a throat clearing. Hatter quickly gathers Alice closer to him protectively as they try to see who is here. Alice sees Chess’s tail appear by itself and relaxes, tapping Hatter on the shoulder as she sends calmness through their Bond.

Hatter turns and, seeing the tail, calls out, “Yes, Chess?”

“I do not want to disturb you, but there are some people that need to talk to you. You also still need to be formally recognized.” The tail disappears, letting them know they have some privacy. Hatter looks down to Alice, and with her silent agreement, lets her go and jumps out of the pond, grabbing the blanket. He then turns and assists Alice out of the pond, using the blanket to protect her from prying eyes. Hatter pulls her to him and she wraps the blanket around them both, acting as one without having to speak.

Chess watches and approves. The Bonding process is irrevocable and well on its way to influencing their very actions. These two will need it to face what he suspects and can feel coming. ‘ _Is this why you pushing us all to make everything formal?’_  Chess asks Wonderland. He doesn’t receive a reply, but then he rarely receives one from her lately.

Hatter calls to him, breaking him out of thought.

Chess appears and lazily asks him, “Are you ready to go to your room in Marmoreal? I would take you to the throne room, but neither are you dressed for a full court of all of Wonderland.” His trademark grin makes its appearance as he watches the two.

Hatter frowns and pulls Alice closer. “Full court of  _all_  of Wonderland?” He hopes he is hearing wrong.

Chess sighs and turns upside down. “Yes. You know what that means. And, you need to hurry or Nivens will be throwing a fit. Now do you want a lift to your room?”

Alice laughs looking at the two of them. “Good morning, Chess. We would greatly appreciate a lift to our room, but only if you could grab Hatter’s hat. He will miss that one.” She grins up at him remembering the pond, and her removal of said hat.

Chess sighs, rolling his eyes in different directions, however both of them can hear his purring and know that sound indicates he loves this. He evaporates, then the hat lifts up and floats up to them. Chess appears wearing it and before Hatter can grab the hat from him, he touches them both. Their Oasis disappears and their room appears. The hat drops on Alice’s head and they can hear Chess’s chuckling as he disappears.

Hatter sighs, holding Alice close for a second then advises her, “Luckily we just took a bath; this will be a full court.”

Alice looks up at him confused. Feeling his emotions, she frowns as she asks, “Full court?”

Hatter kisses her briefly and then, reaching over to the bed, retrieves a robe for Alice and hands it to her. “I think they are officially investing us with the Kingdom. Not that it matters, since it and Wonderland have already approved us. I think this is for the Hearts, in particular, and to tell the residents of the Kingdoms that the Kingdom of the Knights is awake.”

Alice puts on the robe and steps out of the blanket staring at Hatter. “Right now? Why now?”

Before Hatter can even venture a guess, Wonderland tells them it is because of her and they need to hurry.

They both look at each other and Alice is prodded to the bathroom. Hatter feels it and tells her, “I’ll find you something to wear, luv. You do the rest.”

Alice nods, trusting him, and enters the bathroom to fix her hair. Hatter comes in shortly after her wearing cream slacks, a navy blue silk shirt, and an absentmindedly tied skinny cream colored tie, but as usual looking very well put together.

Hatter watches her hurriedly brush her hair, then walks over and takes the brush from her and starts to brush it gently. Alice stares at him in the mirror and he can feel her nervousness through the bond. “Alice, everything will be ok. We have each other and nothing can stand against us.” He pulls the brush once more through the silk that is her hair and puts the brush down. Pulling her close, he stares into her eyes in the mirror and kisses her shoulder. “Come on, luv, get dressed. Once we get this over with, maybe you can show me what fourth base is.”

Alice can’t help herself and laughs. As she walks over to her clothes she notices they are in creams and blues also. She glances back at Hatter with her eyebrow raised at the similarities in their colors.

Hatter explains, “This is one time it helps being a prince. Whatever colors we wear when we get invested are to be our Colors. My mum never was formally invested, so while she is the Queen, she goes by the title of Champion. What we wear will determine the colors for the Kingdom of the Knights.” He then grins. “I couldn’t find raspberry, luv. I know you love that color. Light blue is Mum’s color – it’s even called ‘Alice Blue’ here in Wonderland. We need own colors, which are a twist of the colors we like…”

Alice stares at him and then laughs. “I was going to ask about that, but first I was going to ask if it will be safe for my shoulders to be on display.” She grins at him as she turns around and gets dressed.

Hatter smiles. He will love spending eternity with this woman! He sends his love down their Bond and feels her return it.

She turns around dressed in a cream dress with navy blue ribbons running through the hem. When Alice turns, the fabric has a sheen of the same shade of blue in it and a neckline that shows off the previously mentioned shoulders. The dress continues down, hugging her upper body until it gathers around her waist and then flows to the ground. The lightness of the dress and the freedom of the skirts are exhilarating.

Alice turns to Hatter and asks him, “Will you lace up the back for me?” Hatter agrees, walks up and laces his Alice up into the dress, his fingers trailing on her skin, as he imagines removing this same dress later. When he finishes he kisses her shoulders and stands back to allow her to move back to the mirror, watching her every step of the way.

 Alice glances in the mirror and gasps at the artistry of the dress.

Hatter comes up behind her and murmurs, “Fa outdid himself on this.”

Alice glances at Hatter. “Your father made this?” Hatter nods and stares at her, entranced by her as always. Alice smiles and quietly tells him, “We better get going, after we finish getting ready.”

Hatter snaps out of his staring and asks, “Finish?”

Alice looks at him and softly answers, “You’re missing your hat, and I am missing shoes. But, I warn you, Mr. Hightopp,” and she turns to him and straightens his tie, “should there be heels involved, my feet will hurt you.”

Hatter smirks down at her and pulling her close to him, “No heels, but, I am going to want to see you in heels one day, luv.” He moves closer and murmurs next to her ear, “And nothing else.” He lets go of her and leaves her standing there as he walks out of the bathroom, feeling her reactions through the bond, and grinning.

Alice shakes her head of the imagery, laughing in delight as she follows after him. Hatter is at the wardrobe and pulling out the matching shoes that he then hands to her. He reaches back into the wardrobe and pulls out a navy blue fedora with a cream feather in it and stands there as he debates internally.

Alice walks over curious at what he is looking at and sees a cream jacket in the wardrobe. Before she can say anything, Hatter nods to himself and closes the doors.

“No jacket?” Alice asks.

“It would clash with your dress, and we can’t have that,” Hatter tells her, smiling as he extends his arm and takes her hand. Alice laughs as they walk out of the room.

Hatter stops outside the door, pulling her close and whispering, “Remember the Bond, it will help us both out.” He kisses her softly and then pulls back and offers his arm to her. She places her hand gently on his arm and they walk to the throne room.

Alice is surprised to see a white rabbit standing there staring at his watch and muttering about Alices always being late. He glances up and looks relieved to see them coming. “You’re late!”

Hatter chuckles and tells him, “Nivens, calm down, we are probably only a minute late. Besides, what do you expect of an Alice and the son of one?”

Nivens McTwisp glares at him for a second then shakes his head. When Hatter and Alice stop in front of him, his face softens and he gently says, “David, welcome home. We missed you.”

Hatter squats down in front of Nivens. “I missed you too, Nivens.”

Nivens looks at David and fondly remembers the child that has grown into the man in front of him. “Are you ready?”

Hatter stands back up, and Alice puts her hand on his arm again. He covers it with his, grinning enough to show his dimples before looking back up to Nivens. “As ready as we can be.”

Nivens opens the doors and announces them, “Lady Alice Hamilton, Champion of Wonderland and Mate of David Hightopp Hatter, Champion of Wonderland and Crown Prince of the Kingdom of the Knights.”

Alice and Hatter look out on the gathering in front of them.

Alice now understands what a full court of Wonderland is. Everyone is here; from Ten of Clubs and the Hearts, to all the people she met here in Marmoreal.  As she looks out, she sees her father… and Charlie! Feeling Alice’s excitement, Hatter quickly looks and, seeing Charlie, instantly knows what is causing her emotions. Hatter smiles, glad that their friend hadn’t been hurt attacking the city.

Hatter leads them down the stairs and the aisle towards the Royals. As he nears, he glances at his fa and sees he is behind his mum. His eyes are bright green. Hatter relaxes knowing that if his fa is happy, then they have been forgiven.

Hatter and Alice stop before Mirana, the only crowned Queen and the Queen of Wonderland. Hatter acknowledges her by gracefully inclining his head to her as he feels Alice give a curtsey. A random thought crosses his mind as he thinks humorously of the Guardian of the Curtsey, and how he must be proud of Alice.

Alice feels Hatter’s humor and wonders at it as she stores the thought away for later. She is still slightly nervous but can feel Hatter’s strength bolstering her.

Mirana looks at the Bonded couple in front of her. There is no denying anything to either of them. They are Bonded.  _‘So quickly and completely!’_  She can see the power radiating out from both of them. This is just a meeting full of words formalizing what has already happened, these two are the new King and Queen of the Kingdom of the Knights.

Alice K. almost gasps at her son and his mate. There will be no separating the two of them, nor did she want to now. Tarrant tightens his grip on her arm and she sends reassurance back to him that she is fine. She finally understands that Hatter is Alice’s and not hers anymore. It surprises her that she is fine with this and is proud of him and his choice.

Mirana rises and glides down to the two of them. “Welcome, King Hatter and Queen Alice of the Kingdom of the Knights.” There are gasps all over the room, but Mirana figures if the people in the throne room couldn’t recognize the two for what and whom they are, then they are blind to Wonderland.

Jack stands there frozen. He, his father, and the Duchess had been summoned. As they traveled here, his father briefed him on not only the family history, the true family history, but on the rituals and rites that true Royals go through.  Somehow in spite of being advised of all of that, he still had a hope that Alice would be his. As Hatter and Alice entered, Jack saw that they moved as one and the love for each other practically glowed. To hear that they had Bonded killed any chance for him. He also sees what Mirana had obviously seen – they are the King and Queen without any formal investment needed. Jack hid his feelings and instead smiles for the new Royal Couple.

A ripple spreads from Hatter and Alice, and on the walls a new banner brightens. When it fades, there is a single navy blue rose wrapped in a crown of ivy on a cream background. Wonderland is showing her pleasure and acceptance to it all.

Hatter and Alice feels Wonderland and the Kingdom rejoice. Though they could not see him, they hear Chess murmur, “All hail the new King and Queen of Wonderland.”

* * *

**Fairfarren~**

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	6. Kings and Queens of Promise

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_Song I listened to for this chapter: Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds To Mars_

* * *

Alice is shocked how fast the investments of their new titles are. She stands there with Hatter, looking out at the crowd of people who seem shocked but happy and looking at their new banner. Hatter sends a burst of love to her and when she glances at him, he leads her to the side and smiles. She looks to where he is guiding her, and sees two ivory thrones with navy blue cushions sitting next to Mirana. Hatter seats her and then sits himself, still holding her hand. Alice thinks back to the videos she had seen of the Queen of England taking office and realizes this is much more personal. She finds herself relieved not to have had to deal with that kind of rigmarole.

She notices that Alice and Tarrant are now standing behind Mirana’s throne and wonders about it.

Feeling her curiosity – not a huge shock with an Alice – and seeing where she is looking, Hatter leans towards her and murmurs, “They are the White Queen’s Champions as well as the Champions of Wonderland. Their position is by her side in war, and in peace behind her throne.”

Her question answered, Alice nods slightly and sends her thanks to him. ‘ _This Bonding definitely has it uses!’_

They hear Nivens call out, “Hearts of the Red Kingdom, please present yourselves to the Queen of Wonderland, the White Queen, Mirana and to the King and Queen of the Kingdom of the Knights, Champions and Bonded, David and Alice.”

Alice winces as she feels Hatter’s dismay come through their bond strongly. She didn’t blame him since she knows how much he prefers to be called Hatter. She notes that their Bonded status is now stated.  _‘Are married couples marked the same way or is it just them?’_

Before she can ask, Nivens addresses them. “Queen Mirana, King David and Queen Alice, Champions Alice and Tarrant, I present the Hearts of the Red Kingdom.”

Alice looks up and sees Jack; his father, Winston; and the Duchess. She frowns wondering where the rest of their entourage is and then Hatter tightens his grip slightly looking at Jack. She glances at him then looks back at Jack and can see his feelings for her show briefly. Hatter’s anger spikes enough that she can practically hear him say, “Oi!   _MY Mate_!”

Before anything else can happen, Mirana addresses them. “Winston, how are you dear cousin?”

Winston bows and answers, “As well as expected, Mirana. I am sure you have heard my petition?”

Mirana nods and speaks, “While I have heard it, David and Alice were not present. Could you please present your petition for them? No decision will be made without their input.” There are quiet gasps throughout the throne room. In that one statement, Mirana told everyone that she is sharing the absolute power she has with the new King and Queen.

Winston looks at Alice, remembering how he had tried to help her the couple of times he had met her without letting his wife know. He hopes she remembers those times and the times Jack tried to help her as well. “I have petitioned this court for Jack to be instated as King. Even though the crown is mine and most of Wonderland would expect me to follow in my wife’s footsteps, I would rather follow the rules of Wonderland for the transfer of the crown. I am tired and have proven that, while I did temper what I could for my wife’s excesses, I was not strong enough to stop her. The Red Kingdom will need a strong, young hand to rule it. However, before I transfer the crown, I insist that ALL of the rites that need to pass for a new ruler will need to happen, from having a Bond to having Wonderland  _and_  the Red Kingdom accept him as King.”

Winston pauses and addresses the new Royal Couple directly. “Wonderland has told me that the two of you would have to agree to this before she will.”

Hatter’s shock comes through the Bond to Alice. She too feels the same way since it seems that Wonderland has given them the chance to either have revenge on Jack for what he has done, or prove themselves to everyone by not acting like the former Red Queen would have in the same circumstance. Alice looks at Hatter, trying to figure out what he needs. That is more important to her than what others may think. She had thought of what others may think of her actions in the past and it brought them nothing but misery. She has since promised herself that she will not allow others to dictate her or Hatter’s happiness anymore.

Hatter is shocked at what Wonderland has wrought; no one will blame them if they deny the request, especially if he vocalizes his anger at Jack’s look at Alice. Bonding is very important in Wonderland and no person would try to get in between a Bonded couple, or even lust after one of the Bonded. It is such a serious offense that, in the Outlands, a man can be killed for it.

Hatter realizes Alice is leaving this up to him. He looks at her and can see her faith and absolute trust in him to do what is right for  _them_. But, he has a new responsibility as a King also. This is one of the few times that Bonding made it hard for him to do what is right. He thinks on it and realizes he can live with Alice doing the right thing, but the Bonding is too new for him to be able to do anything other than protect his Mate from what it senses as a threat. He sends this all through the Bond and waits.

Alice frowns making sense of what is wrong and can, again, almost hear his thoughts. Wonderland is doing its part in trying to show her why what Jack had done is so  _wrong_. Bonded couples rarely survived each others death, or even just being separated from each other – especially when they are so newly and strongly Bonded. That any inhabit of Wonderland doing anything to mar the Bonding is unthinkable. Bonding is that special. Hatter sends her his wordless acceptance of whatever she decides.

Alice looks down at Winston and Jack. She can see how tired Winston is and remembers his attempts to help her in the throne room. She and Hatter stand simultaneously as she addresses Winston. “Your request of Hatter and I is difficult, sire. However, we will give our approval after Jack has proven able to handle the rest of the requirements.” Alice turns and looks Jack in the face.  “Jack Heart, our approval is not given on your merits, but due to your father’s wishes.”

Hatter takes a deep breath and  _knowing_ and _understanding_  his Mate’s decision, informs Jack, “Not only do you owe the two of us for the freedom from your mother’s reign, but you owe us for restraints that are  _my_  right to do with you as I will.” The court gasps at Hatter, seeing his eyes darkening. Hatter walks over in front of the Heart, leans forward and tells him quietly, but in no less threatening manner, “Ya need tae read aboot Bonding an’ then ye may realize how I hold ye life in muh hands. She’s  ** _mine_** ,  _my Mate!”_  Hatter leans back and stares into Jack’s eyes as he watches Jack’s emotions flicker across his face.

Jack is angry that this upstart would dare threaten him! But, before he reacts, some part of him whispers, ‘ _He is not an upstart. In fact, he outranks you! Even if you do accomplish being King, he will still outrank you with Miranda’s announcement of her sharing her power with them!’_  And, he has Alice. These things that he wants, this man, whom he had known as no better than a Tea Shoppe owner, has in spades. He is a recognized king and he is the Bonded Mate of Alice. From what he can gather, these two are the promised King and Queen to the Kingdom of the Knights of legend. Then Jack feels shame replace his anger. Hatter is protecting, as he put it, what is rightfully his. Even though this grandmother had banned Bondings, as a resident of Wonderland, Jack knew what he did was wrong. He just couldn’t help himself and had given in to the desire to glance at Alice. He should have known her Bonded would be watching  _him_  after the way he had treated Hatter at the Manor.

Hatter watches, and when he sees what he wanted, Jack’s contrition for his actions, he nods slowly, saying, “Ya  _owe_  Alice most of all fer her restraint – never forget that.”

Jack nods. Hatter turns from him, his eyes fading back to their normal soft brown color, and answers Mirana. “If it pleases you, Mirana, that is our condition for Jack to take the throne. He is to accomplish all the Rites of Royalty. The Rites are there to protect Wonderland, the Kingdoms, and the people. The Hearts have, in the last two generations, run over their people too much. The Hearts will need the help they will receive from the lands and their Bonded and it will go far in giving the people of their land the reassurance that they won’t become the dictators their predecessors were.”

Hatter feels Alice’s support as she makes her way down to him. His protectiveness, though, makes him pull her to his side and wrap his arm around her waist.

Mirana has heard from Chess about David’s Madness. Unlike his father’s, David’s is under his control and seems to come out when he believes that Alice is being threatened. She never thought something would happen in her court that would cause it to surface and is upset he had to go through that. However, David had handled it, and both of his parents had restrained themselves from leaping to his defense. Tarrant had actually growled at seeing the look Jack had thrown to his new daughter!

Mirana stands and descends the few stairs to speak to the Hearts with David and Alice by her side. “You have heard what David and Alice have decreed. Jack Fredrick Heart, to gain the Crown of the Red Kingdom, you will need to Bond with a Mate and receive the approval of the Red Kingdom and Wonderland. In addition, you will need to undergo the binding of rulers to the land. This is no less than what David and Alice have done themselves. I, myself, have undergone the binding of the land. Do you agree and promise to not seek the crown by any other w-“

“Mirana!” Alice yelps as she almost collapses. Hatter instinctively tightens his arm around her waist and prevents it. Everyone in the room turns to her.

“Alice?” Hatter asks worriedly.

Alice regains her feet with Hatter’s help and notices Tarrant is also by her side and Alice K. is by her son’s. Mirana comes closer, worried. “Alice?”

“Mirana, my apologies but Wonderland…I guess… spoke up?” Alice is puzzled as to how to explain her outburst.

Hatter can feel her confusion and then he feels what she is talking about. He  straightens as his parents and Mirana do. They all turn and look at Jack.

Hatter speaks first, “It seems this is your lucky day, Knave. Wonderland has proposed that if you prove yourself worthy in the times coming, you will be Crowned with the binding to the land. If you are not Bonded by then to a Mate…”

Mirana takes up from there, “you  _will_  be Bonded to the Crown of Wonderland, and therefore unable to harm Wonderland or the Rulers of the Kingdoms until you have been bonded to a Mate.”

Jack stares at them, his throat swallowing as he realizes that either he can be bonded to someone or he will be bonded to the Crown in a manner that makes him little more than a puppet. He glances at the Duchess trying to figure out what to do and sees her nod slightly. Jack squares his shoulders and tells them, “I, Jack Heart, promise to abide by these decisions.” A ripple comes from him and everyone relaxes.

Hatter helps Alice to her throne, and after making sure she is ok, sits down in his. Mirana watches the Hearts walk away with sadness prominent in her features. She never likes to cause any type of harm to people. Her vows are to physical harm, but still it causes her pain to do it. Alice K. touches her arm and Mirana nods, turns, and seats herself.

Nivens watches Mirana and once she nods, steps forward and asks, “Are there any other petitions for the Court of Wonderland to hear?”

The man that Alice and Hatter know as the Ten of Clubs steps forward and bows to the Majesties. After receiving their acknowledgement, he quickly announces, “I would like to make a petition to Queen Alice and King Hatter.” Murmurs can be heard through the court, and the Hearts turn on their way out of the throne room to watch him.

Alice acknowledges the man she recalls being kind to her when he could have been cruel. Hatter remembers what Alice had told him and, feeling her curiosity, smiles.  “Speak, if you wish.”

Ten of Clubs inclines his head in thanks, before he continues his request. “I would like to petition to be a member of your new court. I am, in reality, the Duke of Clubs. After speaking with my fellow Clubs, we would like to be a part of your kingdom. Clubs were once closely connected with the Kingdom of the Knights and have been forced to serve the Hearts in bondage since the day it fell.  By your actions, we have been freed from that bondage. To show our gratitude, we wish to serve you and yours, in whatever function you wish.”

Alice stares down at him in shock and then looks to Hatter. Hatter quirks his head to the side and raises an eyebrow. Receiving her answer through the Bond, he stands. “We accept your petition.” The Duke of Clubs bows gratefully, but before he can do more, Hatter is there and helping him stand straight.

“None of that, now. As a member of our court, as long as you serve us faithfully, loyally, and to your full ability, we ask that you not bow to us.” Hatter then grins, telling the shocked man in front of him, “It upsets Alice, you know.”

The Duke of Clubs glances at his new Queen and smiles gently. He inclines his head to her and watches her smile, feeling it lift his spirits. “I will be most honored, your Majesties.”

Hatter pats him on his back and then gently leads him to his new place as their advisor behind their thrones. The Duke stands proudly behind his King and Queen.

Mirana smiles thinking that the new Royal Couple have done well this day.

Nivens clears his throat and asks if there are any other petitions. When no one else speaks, he calls the Court dismissed.

Mirana rises and advises everyone, “There is a ball to honor David and Alice in the hall following Court. All are welcome.” She smiles and glides gracefully out the side door to the courtyard, with the Hightopps and the Duke following her.

Once out of site of the Court, Alice K turns and faces her son and daughter-in-law. “I again apologize for what had happened earlier. I was out of line-“

Alice interrupts her mother-in-law and tells her, “Yes, you were. But it’s in the past and you’ve already apologized, so let’s just drop it.” She had felt Hatter’s anguish and fear for her when his mother had turned to them and knows this needs to end.  She smiles at her new mom.

* * *

Alice knows she shouldn’t have been shocked at how well Hatter dances considering how well he dances in other areas. She is also relieved that the dance is not complicated, since she has no knowledge of formal dancing at all. When Hatter had felt her unease, he had whispered down to her to follow him and to relax into the Bond. She did as he suggested. The Bond lets them act as one and it’s fun; she decides that she will like dances in Wonderland. When the dance ends, he leads her off the floor.

Then two twin boys came up running. “I told you it is he!”

The other boy nudges his brother and tells him, “No, I told you it is him!”

Hatter laughs, and as with Nivens, he drops to their level and says, “Tweedles!”

They run to him and hug him. He looks up at Alice and tells her, “These are the original Tweedles.” She feels his support and warning to prepare herself before he continues. “This is Tweedle Dum and his brother Tweedle Dee.” With that, he watches her carefully.

Thanks to his warnings, she can smile and says, “Nice to meet you.” Inside she is confused and scared.

Hatter wishes he had known the Tweedles were here, so he could have warned Alice. But, quite frankly, he had forgotten that they would have been invited as a matter of course. He sends love and reassurance to her, but is glad she can hide her feelings. What had been done to the Tweedles had outraged him when he found out. He knows that Alice is confused and will need to hear their story to understand.

Tarrant has been keeping an eye on Alice and David. When he saw the Tweedles, he realized that he needed to stop them, but before he could do something, they had approached the new couple. He watches them and while David has no problem with the boys, he can see that Alice is struggling. The Tweedles need David, but he can help Alice.

He walks over to her and lisps softly, “Alice, may I have a moment of your time?”

Alice looks up into Tarrant’s green eyes and nods, not trusting herself to speak. She is worried what voice may come out. She knows her ten year old self is close to the surface, and doesn’t want to upset Hatter. She is managing, barely, but she can see the Tweedles need David’s assurances that he is fine. Tarrant holds out his arm, and she loops hers through her new father’s. He smiles down at her and leads her outside, knowing his son can find his Bonded when he is free.

Robert watches the Mad Hatter lead his daughter outside and rises to follow. He needs to talk to Alice. He saw some of what had upset her and needs to make sure she is alright and help explain.

Tarrant walks with his daughter – ‘ _Daughter and Mate to my son!’ –_  completely content and happy. He looks down at her, smiles, and gently says to her, “Thank you for making my son happy, and making my mate happy too.”

Alice glances up at him, and noticing his green eyes, smiles. “I should be thanking you for raising such a wonderful, loving man.”

Tarrant’s smile widens. Then his face drops.

“Alice, you were tortured also, weren’t you?” The brogue she hears in his son when he is angry is faintly there.

She stops, noticing a bench and indicates it. Tarrant seats her on the bench, she arranges her skirts and answers him quietly, “Not like Hatter was. But, Hatter told me I was tortured instead by the Doctors in their favorite way – mentally.”

Tarrant’s eyes darken and his facial markings become more pronounced. He closes his eyes and draws upon his Bond to calm himself. When he is sure that he is as calm as he can be, he looks at his daughter. He tries to explain to her the difference in the young boys she saw, and the evil older men she had been tortured by. “The Queen kidnapped the Tweedles and did something to make copies that she turned evil. She did it to torture us without breaking her promise. When Hatter found out, he came the closest to exposing himself ever and breaking his promises just to get them out. He could not leave them there.”

Those simple words clarified things for Alice, specifically the reason the Tweedles need her Mate’s assurances and why they look like younger versions of the evil Doctors. Then she hears a voice that made her gasp.

“It is my fault, Jellybean.”

Alice turns and sees her father. She smiles and jumps up to hug him. Tarrant keeps a careful eye on him. Robert notices and acknowledges it. He lets go of his daughter and looks at her. She is very happy and glowing as she was when she walked into the throne room with her Mate. He shakes his head that his little girl is now a Queen and Bonded. “I am so proud of you, Jellybean.”

Alice smiles at her father, overjoyed to see him again. She feels a question pulse through the Bond and she sends her love back. Realizing Hatter is coming to her, her smiles broadens.

Robert looks at her and then his smile fades. He glances at Tarrant and asks Alice, “Is Hatter coming soon, I have some information to give you both.”

“You can start when you wish, Carpenter.” Hatter rounds the corner and drops a kiss on Alice’s mouth and murmurs something softly to her. She nods and they smile at each other. Hatter then turns to his father, “Thanks, Fa.” Tarrant nods, stands and hugs his son, making moves to leave.

Robert stops him. “Tarrant, please stay. I think you know what I am going to say, having known me the longest. You can help, and you deserve to know the whole story.”

Tarrant stares at him, then sits down again, his eyes a yellow and grayish color of curiosity and worry.

Robert sighs and turns to his daughter and new son.

“The best way to do this is at the beginning.” He sees Alice and Hatter glance at each other with grins, and realizes that it must be an inside joke.

He starts again, “I was born here in Wonderland a very long time ago.” He hears Alice’s gasp and keeps going, knowing he needs to tell them everything. “I was born in the Kingdom before the Red and White Kingdoms were formed. Tarrant and I knew each other then, along with the other creatures in the book, Alice.”

Carpenter watches his daughter carefully and seeing her nod, continues. “Later, after meeting the Alice of Legend, I became curious about a number of things, and studied everything I could get my hands on. Eventually the Great Library was transported magically from Aboveland where it had disappeared to after what was thought to be a fire, and founded in the Red Kingdom. I went there to study and wrote down most of the conclusions I made. I was most interested in science and magic and how they worked together in Wonderland. Magic is most prominent, but science works here as well. After many years and exhausting the resources of the Great Library, I went to Aboveland to study some more. There I met your mother, Carol. I felt drawn to her, and came to find out her father had also been a friend of Alice’s. Being a resident of the Red Kingdom, he had gone to Aboveland to escape Iracebeth’s tyranny. Wanting to honor his friend, he wrote about her adventures. He eventually married and they had Carol.  The thing is, in Aboveland, Wonderlanders are drawn together. No one is sure why, but by the time we had found out our connection to Wonderland, we were in love. Then we had you, and as you know, your name was not supposed to be Alice, but through a series of mishaps-”

Alice smiles shakily and repeats what is obviously a well known story, “One being Mom was on an epidural and pain medicine when they asked her what she wanted to name me.” She has been told the story often.

Robert smiles at her. “Yes. But, the name seemed to fit you well and we left it.  When the Queen of Hearts kidnapped me, she told me one of the things I had done to grab her attention is my study that made the Doctors possible. The same Doctors that messed with my mind so that I forgot you and Carol. The same ones who tortured both you and Hatter. I am so sorry, Jellybean.” He looks at her and hopes she understands. He also glances at Tarrant who nods to him, his eyes the light green of friendship.

Alice is trying to get a handle on what her father has said. Hatter is beside her, giving her his love and support. She thinks on what he told her and an errant thought enters her mind, she looks on her arm and gasps, the shock sending her to her knees.

“Alice!” Hatter,feeling her shock and worry, drops on the ground next to her while trying to find what is wrong with his Mate. He sees she is staring at her pale arm in horror and then it dawns on him, the Glow is gone!

He stares up at his fa and his father-in-law, worried. “Wha’ happen’d tae Alice’s Glow?”

Robert frowns, trying to make out what Hatter said, Tarrant gently translates for him. “He wants to know what happened to Alice’s Oyster Mark. They have been calling it a Glow.” Robert nods in understanding.

“She believes in Wonderland. The Glow is from disbelief of Wonderland. Alice accepted Wonderland a long time ago and the mark probably disappeared then. The Oysters were kept in a stupor and therefore never knew they were in Wonderland to accept it, and therefore never lost the Glow. It had nothing to do with being from another world. If it did, Alice would have not been marked.” Robert explains to Alice and Hatter, watching Alice carefully. He is worried about his daughter.

Alice looks up at Hatter and he looks down at her worriedly. He sends all his love and strength to her, hoping it helps. Then he feels her love come back and in relief, he gathers her into his arms. “Alice, thank the Gods. Not that I blame you for a moment.” He kisses her head and holds her there safe in his arms, feeling her relaxing and thinking about what her father has told them. He relaxes when he hears her chuckle.

“Daddy, no wonder you always believed in the talking animals in Wonderland.” Robert laughs along with Alice remembering all the arguments with her at bedtime.

Alice reaches her hand up to Hatter as he stands up. Seeing the Ring of Wonderland on her hand, her face drops. “What are we going to do with the Oysters? Have they been stuck here because of me?”

All the men that mean the most in her life hasten to assure her that it has only been a day since the fall of the Casino and the Oysters are still being treated.  Alice looks up her Mate and fathers as they all try to talk to her at once and wonders if someone was to take a picture, what it would look like with her on the ground and all these men trying to reassure her. Before she gets overwhelmed, Hatter pulls her off the ground and in his arms in one smooth motion and says,“Oi! One at a time please! Alice is getting confused…”

Alice smiles at him. She then summarizes, “From what I gather, everything is fine, but what about getting them home?”

Robert speaks up, “I need to finish treating some. That is partly why I am here, well mostly to see you and watch your coronation, but I need Mirana’s help. She makes potions and they have helped some. We have agreed that we are going to work together to see what we can come up for the Oysters and the Tea Heads.”

Alice smiles and is happy something is being done for all those poor souls. But, she is getting tired and, quite frankly, she wants some down time with Hatter. She sends these emotions down the Bond and feels Hatter tense and then lean down to her and murmurs, “I take it you are ready to leave, luv?”

She nods and Hatter turns to their fathers. “Fa and Father, Alice is tired and I am excusing us for now. Thank you, Fa for taking care of her and explaining the Tweedles; Robert, we will talk with you more in the morning about the information you have given us. For now, Fairfarren to all.”

As they walk off, Robert and Tarrant are amused to hear Alice ask, “Fairfarren, Hatter? I am beginning to think you’re making up words!” They can hear Hatter’s chuckles fade as they leave.

As Alice and Hatter make their way to their room, hidden in the shadows, there is something watching them. It turns and the light hit its eyes and glows golden.

* * *

**Fairfarren~**

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Alice-Signature-1.gif)


	7. Here We Go Again

__[](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Revelations-7-1.jpg)  
This used to be an one shot, but I couldn’t find a place to add to either of the chapters it is between. So we get a short chapter. Fluff.

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Animal By Neon Trees_

* * *

Hatter and Alice walk to their room, trying to hurry now that they are away from everyone. Their Bond is still too new for them to spend much time away from each other. All day they had felt their desires for each other increase, causing them to almost feel desperate for each other. Hatter spots an alcove and pushes Alice into it as he follows, their lips meeting in a demand for each other. He needs to feel her, have her lips on his. They both moan at the same time as their desires spike more.

Hatter ends their kiss and mutters, “Well, this was not as good of an idea as I thought it would be.”

Alice laughs weakly and asks, “How much farther, Hatter? Since we will have an actual bed and locked doors…”

Hatter feels her desire for him increase through the Bond and he mutters, “You’re killing me, Alice.” He grabs her and they start running to their room, Alice laughing as he pulls her along.

Once they get there, Hatter throws open the door, muttering apologies under his breath. Alice looks at him with a confused look, wondering if she really heard him talking to the door. He looks at her, picks her up bridal style and carries her into their room as he kisses her. However, what had started as a light kiss soon turns into a passionate one.

Hatter puts Alice down and backs her into the door, kissing whatever skin he can find. Alice moans, turned on by his aggression and desire for her. She returns his kisses as she helps him remove their clothes.

Hatter loves the way she tastes and he never can get enough of her. He reaches behind her to unlace the dress he had helped her into only hours earlier and pulls it off of her, then shrugs out of his shirt that she has unbuttoned. They continue to shed their clothes in this manner until they both are undressed in a matter of a couple of minutes. It would have been faster, but as more of Alice’s body becomes available for Hatter to worship, he does so.

Hatter knows some of this aggression and need to have Alice is due to the threat he felt earlier from Jack. He needs to prove his love to Alice and possess her. She is  _his_  Mate. But, at the same time, a lot of their feelings are just the pure need and desire for each other that they have had most of the day. The two overpowering needs together make this a frantic need for each other since the Bond feeds their needs into each other’s emotions.

Alice moans as she feels Hatter’s mouth move down her neck then she gasps as he lifts her by her bum to make it easier for him to claim her breasts and mark her as his. She knows he is strong, but this surprises her… and makes her desire him even more.

Hatter lightly bites her nipples and then lathes them with his tongue to soothe the bite mark. He is barely restraining himself. He can feel how wet she is for him and the more he claims her breasts as his, the more he can feel her desire mount. He stops for a second and pulls back to stare at her, “Alice…”

Alice opens her eyes and gazes at him. She can feel his need mounting every second and begs him for relief for them both. “Please, Hatter!” She wraps her legs  tighter around his lithe body, trying to bring relief to her need for him to be inside her.

That is all it takes. Hatter can’t and doesn’t want to restrain himself. He plunges into her, taking her right there against the door. Alice throws her head back in pleasure and hits her head on the door. That is the last thing she registers as Hatter begins moving in her, bringing her to her first orgasm quickly. They both gasp as they feel it rip through Alice.

Hatter holds on by his teeth, feeling her tightening around him as he slides in and out of her. He wants nothing more than to bring pleasure to her and take his from her. He needs to posses her and he can feel the same need echoing from her.

Alice can feel him still hard inside her and his need for her is driving her crazy. She can’t believe he has managed to keep it together this long. She can feel his primal desire for her as he keeps moving in her. She tightens her legs around him as he holds tighter, the two of them feeling the fire igniting in then.

Hatter can feel them both getting close and growls, “God… Alice…” He then thrusts in her, orgasming as he feels her release through the Bond. At the same time he bites her shoulder, needing to physically mark her.

Hatter’s orgasm, coupled with his possessiveness and aggression, has Alice seeing fireworks; she screams his name as they both lose themselves in the intensity of their releases.

As they come down from the high, Hatter supports Alice against the door. He kisses his mark on her and murmurs his love for her. Alice reaches up, cupping his face with her hand, staring into his warm brown eyes for a moment before crashing her lips on his. Hatter tightens his grip on her and, after making sure she is secure in his hold, backs away from the door and towards the bed. When his knees hit the edge of the bed, Alice leans forward enough to have him fall on the bed with her on top of him.

Feeling her desire for him, Hatter’s head falls back against the bed, moaning as he told her, “Killing me, Alice. You be killing me.”

[ ](http://i1.wp.com/kittyinaz.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/brunette-and-man-3.jpg)

He raises himself up then moves them both back further on the bed. When Hatter is back against the pillows, he reaches out to help support her on him with one arm as he kisses her, bringing his other arm up to caress her breast. He is still sheathed inside of her and he could feel himself hardening again.

He murmurs against her lips, “But I be dying a happy man.” Hatter follows her neck down to her breasts, nipping with his teeth at the tops of them then soothing the bites with his tongue.

Alice gasps and holds his head to her breast as he moves his tongue in a lazy circle towards her nipple. She starts to move, unable to deny their need to continue their lovemaking anymore.

Hatter smirks as he senses her start to move up and down his length, taking him in deeper and deeper each time. He looks up at her and can feel her love and see the desire and lust on her face as she rides him. He feels Alice’s hand tug at his hair as he closes his eyes in thanks for this passionate woman whom he loves. He turns his attention to her other breast and feels her moan in pleasure. He keeps it up until she increases her speed and he cannot take it anymore. He grips her waist as he starts to thrust up into her.

Alice lets her head fall back as she feels how deep she is taking him inside of her. She increases her speed, feeling herself beginning to fall apart. She can feel Hatter thrusting into her as she rides him, and then his hand starts to rub her bundle of nerves making her orgasm explosively. She feels him still moving and calls his name in disbelief, “Hatter?!?”

Hatter smirks at her call and flips them, pulling her leg over his shoulder as he claims his woman. He feels her shuddering around him as he pounds into her. When he spills his seed into his mate he growls at her, “Mine!”

Alice is finding herself really turned on by this facet of Hatter. She never had a man who had needed her, could be the most considerate lover, then take her as Hatter is doing now, claiming and possessing her as his. This animalistic side of him is one that had been hinted at and that she has secretly always wanted. But, even as much as he needs to claim her as his, Hatter is still considerate enough of a lover to make sure she has pleasure before him. Even now, as he finishes them both off again, almost collapsing on her in exhaustion, she still senses the burning instinct in him to claim his mate alongside the unconditional  _love_  he has for her.

Hatter gathers his mate to him as he gasps for air. He turns to where he can watch her and smiles down at her. He reaches down and kisses her gently, murmuring to her, “Alice, my Alice, my love.”

Alice can barely move. Hatter feels her exhaustion and smirks. He kisses her on the mouth, the kiss as passionate as the one when they entered the room. As she surrenders to him, he explores her mouth. He ends the kiss slowly and looks down at her, unable to hide his pride in making his mate being so completely satisfied and worn out from their lovemaking. He tells himself he will always make sure she is this pleased anytime they are together, whether they are making love or just being together.

Alice reaches out and gently cups his face. “You amaze me Hatter.”

Hatter grins at her, his dimples showing, then turns and nuzzles her hand gently.

Alice smiles back at him, knowing he feels through their bond how she needed this romp as much as he had. And now, now they need the tenderness that is between them.

Hatter can sense her love for him radiating through the Bond. Her lust for him is weaker and no longer what she needs from him. Hatter knows that it had been his own response from the threat to their Bond that had sparked his darker side, but her answering that side with her own desire had inflamed them to the previous level. But now Alice and he need the tenderness of their love. He reaches down and softly moves her hair off her face.

Alice tries to move and winces slightly, mentally acknowledging she is going to be sore tomorrow.

Hatter notices her wince and frowns in thought. He then softly tells Alice, “Wait here, luv.” He kisses her softly again, then moves quickly to the bathroom.

Alice smiles and almost drifts off to sleep, exhausted. When Hatter returns to her, he lifts her up, telling her, “Not yet, Alice. Let’s see if I can do something about those muscles before you get too stiff.” Alice rests her head against him, too tired to say anything.

Hatter looks down tenderly at his love as he carries her into the bathroom and the hot bath he has poured her using some of the potions Mirana stocks in the bathrooms. He realizes she is too tired to be able to take a bath without him. Still holding her to him, he steps into the bathtub with her and lowers them both into the water. She raises her head slightly when the water touches her and Hatter murmurs to her softly, “Shh… It will help Alice.” She nods and rests her head back against his shoulder and neck. Hatter settles them into the water and relaxes, holding her to him and resting his head against hers.

Alice stirs, feeling the water relaxing her muscles and sleepily asks, “Hatter?”

Hatter is lost in feeling their Bond and the emotions flowing across it. It takes a few moments to realize that Alice had called out to him. “Yes, love?”

Alice burrows into him and asks, “What is the difference between us getting married and being how we are now?”

Hatter raises his head to look down at her, “I am not sure I understand, luv.”

Alice tries to figure out in her sleepy brain how to phrase this. “Well, if we got married, what difference would it make?”

Hatter frowns in thought, wanting to answer her completely. “Not much if anything. It depends on you actually. If you want to get married, we can.  According to the way of life in the Outlands, you are my wife. Here in Marmoreal, for us to be married it will take, hmmm… well, Mirana to marry us since she is the only person who outranks us. But Alice, it depends on you and what you’re comfortable with. If you wish for us to be married, we can be. If you are satisfied with the Bonding only, that’s all I need. I just want you to be happy, Alice.”

Alice sighs, thinking out loud, “I don’t know if I want to get married right now.  We have so much work in front of us. I also feel like something is coming and don’t want to take away from any planning or preparing for it. But afterwards…”  She looks up at him and tells him softly, “I would like to. I want everything I can have of you.”

Hatter smiles at her and answers her, “Alice, you have my mind, body, soul, and heart already. It’s all yours, with my love and blessing.” He then leans down and kisses her.

* * *

**Fairfarren~**

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Alice-Signature-1.gif)


	8. Your Smile Makes the Whole World Stop

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Revelations-8-11.jpg)

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars_

* * *

Alice wakes in the morning with Hatter’s arms holding her close. She’s slightly confused until she remembers what they did when they got back to the privacy of their rooms. She also remembers how, after their lovemaking, Hatter had carried her into the bathroom and into the bath he had poured for them. Thinking on the talk in the bath, she was grateful for the clarifications regarding the differences between mating and marrying in this world. Smiling fondly, she remembers why he had needed to pour her a bath to help prevent her from being sore today after their activities.

As she moves, stretching her arms and body, Hatter murmurs to her, “Awake, luv?” He kisses her below her ear.

She turns in his arms, catching his look and laughs. “I take it these feelings and desire for each other is just not going to end anytime soon.” She pulls him down for a full kiss, their tongues dancing together.  When they came up for air, she finishes, “And I am so glad it isn’t.”

Hatter smirks at her. He leans down to continue to kiss her when there is a knock on the door.

Then to Alice’s amazement and shock, the doorknob advises them, “Your father is here, David. I already told him it will be a couple of minutes until he can enter the room. And while we are talking, can you please take care of not repeating last night in regards to me?”

Hatter laughs and as he senses Alice’s shock and embarrassment vibrate through the Bond, he turns to her quickly. “Alice, it didn’t see anything! I swear I would not have done  _anything_  to embarrass you.”

His honesty pours down the Bond to her but she still doesn’t snap out of it. She just stares at Hatter.

Hatter grows concerned as he thinks quickly, trying to find a way to snap his love out of her shock.  Then he smirks, leans down to Alice and kisses her passionately, pouring his love and desire down the Bond and into his kiss. When he feels her respond, he pulls back to look at her.

Alice looks up at him and sighs. She realizes she still has a lot to learn about Wonderland. “I don’t think I will ever learn everything about this place.”

Hatter laughs, kisses her lightly on the lips, and gets out of bed to find them some clothes. Alice leans up on her arms, watches him with her own smirk and the honest amazement that this beautiful man is all hers.

Hatter grabs himself some lounging pants, slips them on and grabs a pair of dark purple pajamas for her. She notices that they are a pants and a long sleeve set and looks up at him to see him grin.

Hatter leans down to her and huskily says, “ **Mine** _._ ”

The feelings that course down the Bond make her snap her eyes to him and notice him smirking at her.  She quickly gets dressed and he tosses her a robe as he slips another one on while he moves to the door to open it for his fa.

* * *

Tarrant is studiously examining the tapestry on the opposite wall. Upon hearing the door open, he turns and smiles at his son.

Hatter glances reflexively at his fa’s eyes and notices they are a teal color, showing his love for his family and amusement at what he had heard out here. Hatter’s lips twitch at his fa and he sees the same twitch answering his in their shared amusement at his Bonded and her reactions to Wonderland. He indicates to his fa that he can enter their rooms and stands aside as he enters.

Alice walks up to Tarrant and hugs him, wishing him good morning. Tarrant grins and hugs her back, his eyes turning a light blue of love. People don’t normally touch him. To have Alice so matter of factually hug him good morning is nothing short of amazing to him. “Good morn to you, Alice.” He smiles and asks them, “I was wondering if you will join us for tea in the gardens? It will be just family and Mirana. We need to talk.”

Alice and Hatter look at each other then turn to look at Tarrant.  He is amused to see the how deeply the Bond has already formed between them. “Nothing bad, but we know you will need to return to your Kingdom and we need to speak.”

Hatter stares at his fa, thinking, then nods. He has been feeling the Kingdom and Wonderland urging them to return. “We will also need to have the Duke of Clubs there, Fa. Can you arrange that, please?”

Tarrant nods and stands up. “We will be waiting on you.” He shares another amused grin with his son and leaves.

Alice sits there and thinks. She can feel both Wonderland and the Kingdom of the Knights urging her to return. She thinks for a second and tries something. Alice concentrates on the links and asks them both, “Why?” She feels them pause and then start pressuring her to return more strongly. She looks up at Hatter and sees that he is frowning, feeling the same thing she is. They both feel the link struggle to help them understand. Finally they feel a projection from the two of a sense of… needing to be protected?

“Hatter, how are we supposed to protect the land?” Alice is confused. Why would Wonderland have a need to be protected?

Hatter’s eyes widen and he tells her, “We are Champions of Wonderland, Alice.”

Alice thinks and asks him, “I thought your parents were the Champions?”

Hatter sighs and settles behind her as he informs her, “They are, Alice. But we are also Champions.  Think of it this way. The White Kingdom has them as its champions. Mum defended it mostly and she is Mirana’s Champion. Me fa is Wonderland’s Champion more than Mirana’s but when they bonded, they became each other’s champion. We are the Champions of the Kingdom of the Knights. Well, I guess technically I am, and you are the Champion of Wonderland, but you get the idea.”

Alice tries to understand, but then her stomach rumbles, and Hatter laughs. “Come on, luv, let’s get ready and get some food in you.”

Alice sighs as she gets up and moves to the bathroom, asking Hatter, “Find me something comfortable to wear, dear?” She senses his love come through the Bond and smiles. Alice moves to the mirror and gets ready. After she cleans up, she tries to do something with her hair. Alice is frowning at herself in the mirror when Hatter moves behind her and hugs her. She smiles at him and says, “I can’t seem to do anything with it. Do you know what I can do? Or do I look ok?”

Hatter looks at her with love in his eyes and answers her, “When I see your face, there is not a thing that I would change, luv, cause you are amazing just the way you are.” She grins at him and he thinks to himself, ‘ _Hatter you are one lucky man to find her.’_

Hatter hands her some pants in dark blue and a cream-colored silk shirt. He is wearing black pants and a paisley shirt with navy blue and cream colors.

Alice shakes her head as she dresses and asks, “Is everything I wear now going to have these colors in them somehow?”

Hatter chuckles as he answers her, “Well they  _are_  our colors, luv. Watch Mirana and you will see her colors in everything she wears and the same thing with the Hearts. Be happy they are easy to match other colors to. I always felt sorry for Mirana having to wear nothing but white all the time.”

Alice smiles and agrees. “Well, I guess we need to go and see what’s going on.”

Hatter smiles down at her and pulls her into his arms, kissing her. He looks down at her and asks with concern in his voice, “Alice, how are you feeling?? I didn’t hurt you too much last night-”

Alice kisses him and puts all of her feelings from last night into her kiss. Hatter groans in her mouth as he senses the feelings flowing through the Bond and from her kiss. She looks in his eyes when she pulls back and tells him, “Hatter, you know how I feel about you. The greatest thing about this Bonding…is there are no doubts between us anymore. You will know if you do something I dislike as I will know if I do something you don’t like.”

Hatter smiles down at his love. “I love you, Alice Hamilton. I cannot wait until I can call you Alice Hamilton Hightopp Hatter.” Then he grows mischievous and asks, “We can always drop the Hamilton from our name you know…”

Alice is confused and cocking her head to the side and says, “I don’t understand.”

Hatter grins at her and says, “Well, since we took the thrones on our Bonding, our names will be combined. But we can just be the Hightopp Hatters.”

Alice is still confused and Hatter laughs. “C’mon, luv, and I will try to explain.” He releases her and offers her his arm. She looks at him and, raising an eyebrow, asks, “No hat?”

Hatter looks like he is affronted and says to her, “I know you like me hair, Alice. But to exit our rooms without a hat? That would be blasphemous!” As they move through the bedroom, he grabs the cream newsboy hat sitting on the table by the door and puts it on as they exit the room.

Alice gives the doorknob a confused look and Hatter laughs again. He has not felt this great for a while. However, his Alice is his in every way. He proved that last night when he claimed her again as his. His eyes darken momentarily as he thinks back to what had made him so protective of his mate. He can feel Wonderland telling him there is a use for Jack still. However, the slurvish man had dared to look upon  _his mate_  with lust in his gaze. He had proved his love to her in every way he could think of. Life cannot go much better for him.

Alice is happy until anger spikes through the Bond causing her to look up at Hatter in shock. She notices the dark eyes and his glare. She stops and cupping his face in her hands, she asks, “Hatter?”

Hatter snaps out of his thoughts with the touch of her hands on his face. He looks down as her worry vibrates through the Bond and the look on her face shows the same. He softly tells her, “I was remembering last night and how amazing you were, luv. But then, I also remembered the reason why I had been so rough with you.” He stares down at her.

Alice thinks, then shakes her head and asks Hatter, “Do you really think there is any way I would ever pick Jack Heart, the man who lied to me, faked a relationship with me just to use me to get to my father, cheated on me, and more importantly, insulted the man I love?”

Hatter looks in her eyes, smiles, and answers, “Well, I guess if you put it that way, then no, I don’t think you would ever pick Jack Heart.” Then his face grows serious, “Alice, I love you so much. I will never let you go even if the Bond would allow it. To have that…man even look at you the way he did – it not only insults our bond, our love, and me, it also insults you. You do not want him, you do not think of him that way, and for him to covet you… that is what makes me angry. Alice, this  _is_  Wonderland. If not for Wonderland wanting us to be together, his feelings could make life hard on us.” He searches her eyes, hoping she can understand what he is trying to tell her.

Alice stares back at him, his love and sheer  _need_  for her to understand what he is talking about traveling through the Bond to her. Wonderland and the Kingdom of the Knights hasten to let her know that they  _want_  them together. Then they show her something that shocks her, Alices and Hatters belong together.  Just like Alices and Cheshires also have a special connection. That will  _always_  preempt a kingling.

Alice’s eyes widen and so did Hatter’s when they receive the information. Hatter immediately starts to tell her, “Alice! I-”

Alice moves closer and kisses him quiet. When she is done, he stares down at her and she can feel his worry. She sends him her love and tells him, “All Wonderland is telling us is there is no way she would have given in to Jack’s wishes. She may have ‘helped‘ by having Ratty bring me to you, but that is all.  We fell in love by ourselves. If you doubt it, think back on all we went through. How I tried to deny it and when you actually fell in love with me. I know when I fell in love with you and I felt nothing of what I feel when Wonderland is pushing.”

Hatter nods as he thinks back to the Library and her caring about the refugees. That is his defining moment when he realized that he had fallen for her. From that point on, he just fell more in love with her every minute. He smiles, remembering when she stopped him to say thank you when they hid the boat and trusted him enough to put her hand in his.

Alice smiles at the love flowing through the Bond and asks him, “Better, Hatter?”

Hatter smiles and tells her softly, while he sends his love through the Bond, “I love you, Alice. You are just so brilliant.” He pulls her in his arms and kisses her. He feels her melt in his arms as he holds her. Reluctantly Hatter breaks the kiss and tells her softly, “We need to keep moving, or we will scandalize the castle here shortly.” He smirks down at her.

“Hatter, what is with the names?” Alice is still trying to understand what he meant earlier.

Hatter sighs as they move down the halls. “Bonded couples usually take each other’s last names.  Married couples take the males. My parents took the Bonding tradition, and we can choose which we would like to do. However, Hamilton is now part of our Royal names as well as the Bonding status. I was teasing you, forgetting you don’t know our traditions, luv. It was quite naughty of me to suggest dropping your name.” He grins down at Alice.

Alice stops and stares at him, “You mean we are saddled with Alice Hamilton Hightopp Hatter and David Hamilton Hightopp Hatter?”

Hatter frowns and tells her, “Actually my full name was David Kingsliegh Hightopp Hatter before and now is David Hamilton Kingsliegh Hightopp Hatter, Bonded to Alice Hamilton Kingsliegh Hightopp Hatter, Champions of Wonderland and the King and Queen of the Kingdom of the Knights.”

Alice stops mid-stride and stares at him in horror. Hatter stops as quickly as she does, not wanting to trip her up, as he nods, “You’re right, luv, that’s a big mouthful to say.”

Alice starts laughing at his face and Hatter grins down at her. “We’ll see what we can do, luv.”

Alice smiles back and moves with him as they walk to the Tea Table. She remembers the way from when they had gone to Tea when they first arrived in the White Kingdom. Then she realizes that it had been only two days ago.

Tarrant looks up as his son and daughter enter the Tea area and smile at them. He is overjoyed at watching the two of them as their Bond deepens. He is also happy his son gets to experience the love and joy that is a Bond. There is bad that goes along with it, but, when isn’t there bad to make the good even more enjoyable?

Hatter seats his Bonded and then drops into his chair. “Morning Mirana, Mum, Fa. Thanks for joining us, Duke.”

The Duke of Clubs clears his throat and tells him nervously, “My name is Santiago, Santi for short, Your Majesties.”

Alice smiles at him and gently advises him, “Santi, in private, please drop the Majesties. If what Hatter has been telling me is true, we will be together for a long time and I really don’t want to be Majestied to death.”

Santi shakes his head and tells her honestly, “Alice, life is going to be much more interesting with you around.” He smiles at her.

Hatter watches the interaction with his mate and their advisor and grins. “The first thing we need to do is return to the Kingdom. It and Wonderland are pressuring us to return. Not bad enough for us to need Chess to return us, but enough that we need to be leaving either today or within the next few days.” He is aware that by using his name, they run the chance of Chess listening in, but Hatter isn’t worried about it too much.

Mirana nods and tells them, “I have been feeling the same pressures and, quite frankly, this worries me. The last time Wonderland was like this was when the Jabberwocky attacked the Hightopps.” Tarrant, Alice K, and Hatter’s faces fall. They, along with Alice Hamilton, are all that remains of the clan that once had boasted of producing some of the top artisans of Wonderland and was numbered among the most prolific clans of all of Wonderland.

Alice K frowns, thinking of what is needed to protect her son and daughter, and asks Hatter, “Have you kept in practice, son?”

Hatter nods and answers his mum. “As much as I can without letting anyone see. My main weapon in the Red Kingdom was me sledgehammer and trying to act like I was a bumbling idiot while I fought.”

Alice looks at her mate and asks, “You had another weapon?”

Tarrant laughs, “David is one of the best swordsmen in Wonderland, Alice. He was trained by two champions since he could walk and the best of Mirana’s guards. Any weapon he is quite proficient in, but give him anything that resembles a sword or knife, and he is the best.” His eyes glow with pride as he looks at his son.

Alice then remembers Hatter picking up a stick to defend them against Jack back at the Manor and looks quickly at Hatter. “So at the Kingdom when you…”

Hatter looks back at her and replies softly, “I could have definitely defended you and beaten him, Alice. Nevertheless, you made it possible for me to keep my head. Now we know why the madness was so close and why we were both so upset. It was going against the Bonding for us to do what we did. It was only because Wonderland helped and we already loved each other so much and were not denying the Bond that made it possible.”

Mirana looks on with interest and asks, “You two were already Bonding and voluntarily separated from each other?” She has never heard of something even being possible. Alice and Tarrant are the closest that she has heard of a Bonded pair being able to do that. However, they had been in the beginning stages and had not been physical with each other. Chess had insinuated to her that Alice and David had been intimate by that time.

Alice K is impressed as well, but she brings them back to business and asks her daughter, “Alice, what weapons are you proficient at?”

Hatter laughs and quips to his mum, “Her body. And I don’t mean what it does to me, but she is a lethal weapon with just her body.”

Alice blushes and tells her namesake, “I am a black belt in many different methods of what is called Judo. It uses the force of an attacker’s strength against them without the use or need for weapons. My sensei told me that I excelled in being able to predict attacks and was starting to teach me what is commonly known in my world as Akido. I had just started to learn those skills the week before I came here. I’m also the chess player that no one could beat in school.”

Alice K’s eyes widen as she murmurs, “A chess champion and now the Queen of the Chess Pieces.  How fitting. I had seen some monks during my travels doing some sort of defense using only their hands. Is this the same?”

Alice thinks and answers, “I believe so. During the time you had been in our world it would have been monks using it.”

Hatter watches his mate and Mum interacting and is relieved that neither holds a grudge against the other. He is also interested to learn that his Alice is a chess champion.

Tarrant speaks up. “Alice, you may have noticed that David is faster than what you think is normal.  The longer you are here, the more you will have the same quickness and abilities as he does. You and David are already faster and stronger than normal due to Wonderland investing you with the Bond to the land. Because you are a Wonderlander, your skills will be more enhanced, and you will have the potential to be the best in the physical enhancement, and there will be a special skill talent on top of these that is yours alone. Everyone here that is a native has a skill that they excel in more than others, physically and another extra skillset.  David’s is thought to be his swordsmanship and his physical enhancement is his right arm.”

Wonderland tries its best to show her what Tarrant is trying to tell her. Every person native to Wonderland is quicker and stronger than a person who was never born here could ever dream of, even Alice K. Being invested with the Bond to the land, she and Hatter will be even more powerful and have additional abilities. There is a slight hint that there is more that has to do with their bond itself, but Wonderland shows her how quick Hatter is and shows her how her own abilities are being enhanced.   The other abilities that Tarrant didn’t touch on were the natural magic all Wonderlanders possess and the advanced healing they also have.

Hatter watches his mate absorb all the information and again thanks Wonderland for showing her more than they can explain. He is also glad his fa had said something since he had forgotten all about Alice being a native to Wonderland.

Alice sighs once Wonderland had shown her what they mean and inquires, “So what are we going to do? I understand that we need to get back to the Kingdom. But, quite frankly, it’s going to need some major work to get it back to the way it was.”

Santi speaks up, advising her and Hatter, “My Clubs are moving there now. There will be others that will also feel the call of the Knights moving in them and will come. Charlie has agreed to train them.  There are already reports that the Kingdom is not in as bad physical shape as we had previously thought.”

Alice stares at him wondering how the Kingdom could not be a wreck and Hatter laughs at the look on her face. “Alice, this is Wonderland. It and the Kingdom are working to make sure we are not sleeping in the barn anymore. You have to learn that Wonderland can do anything it puts its mind to in regards to itself. What happens to its inhabitants… well that is why it needs Alice’s and Champions.”

Wonderland pressures them again and everyone, even Santi is shocked to learn it needs Alice’s for another reason also. It leaves them with that vague information and the feeling of urgency.

Mirana, feeling the urgency pressuring them, speaks up. “Some of my knights already feel the call and I will send them with you. I will also send some of the card soldiers with you to help with defense.”

Alice frowns in confusion thinking of the suits and seeing this, Mirana explains, “My sister, Iracebeth had actual card soldiers, Alice. When Alice defeated the Jabberwocky and my sister, they entered into my service. Constance didn’t want them; she felt they betrayed her parents. She kept the card motif, but used Wonderlanders that were addicted to Tea or in some way were tied to her so they couldn’t betray her. She just called them suits to differentiate them.” Alice nods, thanking her for the information.

Hatter speaks up and tells them, “We need to get moving soon. When can you be ready Santi and when can we leave, Mirana?”

Tarrant watches his son take control and his eyes reflect his feelings of pride. He will be better as King with his Alice as his Queen than his Alice and he would have been. David’s Alice is already more compassionate than anyone but Mirana, and with what he has seen, he can easily imagine her being more so in the future.

Preparations for their departure are made and everyone leaves to get what they can ready. Alice and Hatter make their way to their rooms, and Chess appears in front of them. “Good day to you two.”

Alice grins at the Cheshire Cat and quips back to him, “Good afternoon to you too, Chess. How have you been?”

Chess turns on his back and lazily tells them, “Fine, love. I heard my name earlier and found a council being held. Interesting wasn’t it?” He is inspecting his paw as he speaks with them. “Amazing what one with evaporating skills can learn isn’t it?”

Hatter laughs and asks him with a knowing look, “And nothing to do with curiosity does it, Chess?”

Chess’ smile grows larger and he tells them airily, “I have no earthly idea what you might be speaking about, dear David.” His purring can be heard quite clearly.

Alice and Hatter are laughing at their friend as they move through the palace to their rooms.

Hatter asks him, “Is there a point in this, Chess? I hate to be rude, but we have a lot to accomplish in a very short time.” His mind is ticking away all they need to have finished before they leave today. Time seems inclined to work with them for once.

Chess sighs as he turns, floating in front of them on his stomach and tells them as though bored, “I  am just wondering when  _we_  are leaving. I was called away before I heard that piece of information.”

Alice picks up on the we and asks, “Are you joining us, Chess?”

Hatter looks back at Chess with interest; the Cheshire had not knowingly joined in on any expeditions to his knowledge.

Chess yawns and answers her, “It has been boring here for the last few centuries. I figured I could follow you two and see something new.” In reality he finds himself needing to be around Alice. Alice Kingsliegh had pulled at him, but never as strong as this Alice does.

Hatter is skeptical but he can see the pluses in having Chess with them. “We’ll be leaving as soon as everyone is ready. Alice and I are going to our rooms to get our stuff together, and then after a quick stop to the armory, we will be at the stable seeing who will agree to be our mounts.”

Chess nods and tells them, “Fairfarren until then, dear David and Alice.” He evaporates slowly, until just his grin is left before it is gone too.

* * *

Fairfarren~

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	9. Give Me Your Heart

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_  
Song I listened to for this chapter: Smooth_ by _Santana & Rob Thomas_

* * *

Hatter and Alice continue to make their way to their rooms, talking in low voices about their plans.  Hatter opens the door and gestures for her to enter before him with a slight bow. Alice laughs at him as she enters the room with Hatter close behind, dropping his hat off on the table.

Alice sits down on the couch. Hatter drops down beside her and ends up laying his head in her lap as they sit there. Running her hands through his hair, Alice uses the time to help gather her thoughts.   She really loves touching him and his hair.

She uses the calming repetition of her motions to allow her mind to think on everything she has been told in a very short time. She went from thinking she was an Oyster, allowed to stay in Wonderland because she helped free the Heart Kingdom from the evil queen to finding out that she is actually a Wonderlander, just raised in a different world, and has every right to be here. In addition to being a Wonderlander, she is also mated to her soul mate who happens to be a prince. Then, in a surprising turn of events, if she understands what Wonderland and the Kingdom of the Knights have told her, Alice and Hatter are both rulers of a Kingdom. Not just because she is Hatter’s Mate, but because she was chosen in her own right.

All that is surprising enough, but now she is being told she will have a talent and will be changing physically. Hatter has been surprising her with his physical movements since he was healed. She gathers from comments made earlier, that he is an excellent fighter. He must have dumbed it down when they had been fighting in the past. However, what is going to be happening to her?

She finally asks, “Hatter, I am trying to make sense of what is going on. When they talk about changes, are they going to be to my body? So, you know, what is going to happen to me?”

Hatter’s eyes are closed in pure bliss and happiness because of his Mate’s hands in his hair. Having her here with him before the storm hits, is something he is treasuring. With how hard Wonderland is pushing them to return to the Kingdom, he knows a storm of epic proportions is coming and he is unsure how safe his Alice will be. From what he has experienced, he is taking these times of just the two of them and treasuring them. Then he hears her question, and feeling her worry coming through their Bond makes his eyes open quickly to look up at his Mate. “Alice? Luv? What’s wrong? What do you mean?”

When Alice doesn’t answer him, he quickly sits up and turns to pull her into his lap. He holds her close to him and asks again, “Alice, please tell me what you are thinking, luv. I can’t help you if I don’t understand what’s wrong.” He pleads with her as he sends reassurance and his love through the Bond.

Alice feels his love and relaxes. She looks up at Hatter. “Hatter, I’m…I guess, I would say that I am baffled, disorientated, bewildered… I went from being what I thought was an Oyster being accepted because of our Bond and what I did for Wonderland to being told I am basically a native of here. Then before I can understand that piece of information, that I belong here in my own right, I am being told I am going to be some sort of super woman. What is going to happen to me?” She stares up at him, hoping that he can help her.

Staring back at her, Hatter thinks of her questions and what he is feeling from her. He looks down and says to Alice, “Luv, you are accepted here because you belong here. When you believed in Wonderland, you became a Wonderlander. The only difference is you probably will be slightly madder than any other Oyster that chooses to do the same. As for the powers, well, Wonderland is made of and founded on magic, luv. Pure magic. The Red Queens don’t like it, Constance in particular doesn’t like it. Nevertheless, the magic is in all of us.  Moreover, because you are a descendant of a native of Wonderland, it just means you probably have your talents already. Just like your father had his ability in Above, if I were to leave Wonderland I would keep my Sledgehammer and other abilities.” He tries to see if she understands what he is telling her.

Trying to comprehend everything, Alice feels like she is being stupid and obtuse. She just cannot understand what he is telling her. “Hatter, I am so sorry. I don’t understand.”

Hatter senses her frustration pouring through the Bond and jerks his head back, surprised by the strength of her feeling versus how calm she looks. He thinks harder, frowning until Wonderland steps in, trying to help him explain. He feels that it has tried to help, but is also unable to explain it to her in terms she can understand. However, hopefully, between the two of them, they can come up with a way to explain it to Alice.

He gently cups her face and asks her, “Alice, can you just bear with me and answer some questions for me, luv?”

Alice nods.

Hatter sighs and asks her, “You mentioned that your teacher had started to train you in akeeta skills?”

Alice can’t help but laugh at his mispronunciation of ‘Akido’.  “Hatter, it is called Akido.  And yes, he had started to teach me skills that an Oyster would call Akido.”

Grinning, Hatter tells her, “Give me a break, Alice. There are so many words you have tossed around that I have, and probably will continue to mispronounce .” He kisses her head. “But, back to what I was asking. Is it normal for you to progress as you did to the level that your teacher would teach you this normally? Any person off of the streets and who had taken your classes with you would be at the same skill level?” Hatter leans his head towards her, waiting for an answer.

Alice frowns and turns the question over in her head. She always gives thought to what Hatter asks, a lot of the times it helps her settle her own thoughts or helps her to realize what is just out of reach.

She thinks back to comments her sensei had said to her as she trained. He often mentioned how quickly she picked up on the classes and how easily her body moved to replicate the moves and skills he was showing her. She then remembers some conversations she had overheard on how she had gained the black belt fairly early in the classes. “I thought I was normally progressing through the ranks. But now that you are asking, I remember someone commenting that I had progressed quickly.”

Hatter nods. “Alice, what is it about your fighting style that makes it easy for you?”

Alice just stares at Hatter, confused again. Hatter sighs, not in exasperation at her, but in trying to explain what is just _known_  to him. “You know I have a lot of strength in my right hand, the strength to pulverize stone without any pain to me; that is my magic, the one that people know about. However, my real skill is my speed and ability to analyze. That’s why I am the best swordsman in Wonderland. But, me mum and fa worked with me for hours to bring that ability out and make it be an unconscious part of me. It helped when I was in the Heart’s Kingdom, it made me a better conman.”

Understanding dawns on Alice, causing her to be a bit excited as she answers him. “I can basically predict what someone will do. If I somehow manage to watch an opponent before, I can mimic their skills to a T. I can’t explain it to anyone, I just seem to be able to make the right moves. The same thing with chess. I just seem to know what moves to make; it’s all played out in my head before I make one move. And, as the game goes, I can see who will win.” Alice looks away from Hatter. “I always kept quiet about it, not wanting to seem more of a freak.” This last is said quietly.

As her feelings of sadness and anxiety come through the Bond, Hatter asks, “Alice? Why would you call yourself a freak?” He can never think of her as a freak.

Sighing, Alice tells him frankly, “Children are cruel, Hatter. With my dad missing so early in my life, I was called a freak and other names. Since I was playing chess with my father before he left, I continued to play, but people commented on how unusual it was for a small child to be able to beat adults as easily as I did. As much as I wanted to stop, I felt like I needed to continue and it helped me remember my father in a good way.” She smiles softly. When she played chess she remembered her father without any sadness.

Hatter frowns over what she has said and he has to clarify. “I don’t understand, Alice. Why would children be cruel?”

Feeling his honest confusion, Alice answers him, “Because I was different. Different is not encouraged. Oh, they say it is, and there are awards to celebrate the geniuses and the people who are different. But, as a child you are taught that different is bad.”

To say Hatter is shocked is an understatement. Alice is surprised at his emotions as they come through the Bond. Shock is first.  But now…now anger? Alice looks up in his face and she sees his black around his eyes start to spread out.

Hatter can’t believe the world his love comes from. To teach children that they need to be the same, to be as toy soldiers lined up, that to be different is bad? That is the complete opposite of what is taught in Wonderland. It may be due to the long life spans of Wonderlanders, but children are rare and are celebrated. They are encouraged to be different and to explore. How else will they find what they can do? However, to have Alice, who would have been different as different can be to the world above, be subject to this treatment? To have her exposed to that criticism at a time in her life that instead she needed to be encouraged, that makes Hatter angry. His Alice is amazing as she is. In addition, it is probably the magic in her that drove her to chess and to keep at it. Something in how she plays it, how she can see the moves, is what she needed at the time.

Lightly touching Hatter’s face, Alice sends her love to her amazing man. She keeps it up until she feels his answer from the Bond.

Hatter looks down at his Mate. “Alice, you are amazing. But, I will tell you right now, if we have children, they are NEVER going to grow up in your world.” He pulls her to him and holds her tight. “Alice, I love you. You are not going to be ever called a freak here in Wonderland. And if you are, leave me something to take my revenge upon when you’re finished.”

Alice can’t help but laugh. “I’ll be sure to do that, Hatter. But seriously, what is Fa saying about additional abilities?”

Frowning, Hatter thinks back to his fa’s words. Then he truthfully tells her, “I really don’t know, Alice. Me parents never took the crown or were formally linked with the lands. Mirana is a pretty private person so it just doesn’t feel right to ask her. Most Wonderlanders maybe know one of their talents. To know both is rare. Not as rare as a Bonding or anything like that. But maybe 3 in 10 Wonderlanders know both of their abilities. Dormie is one. But his abilities are sleeping in any position and being able to convince people of anything.”

Relaxing into Hatter, Alice reflects on his words, then she tells Hatter, “We need to get moving, but this won’t be the last time we speak about this. Just to make sure I am thinking down the right path, you’re telling me I have had my abilities all this time and have used them. I may get stronger, but nothing different from anyone here.” She reaches up and kisses Hatter. When they break for air, she smiles and continues, “Oh yeah. If anyone calls me a freak, I am to leave something for you to take your revenge upon.”

Hatter kisses her again and then smirks as he reminds her, “No children are to be raised outside Wonderland. Pretty important one there, Alice.” He nuzzles her neck as she chuckles.

Alice turns her head to give him better access to her neck as she replies, “Well, since any children I have will be yours  _and_ we have a Kingdom to rule over, I don’t think that will be a problem!”

Hatter moves Alice until she is under him as he ravishes what he can of her body. He stops to look at her as he says the tiny three words that mean so much. “I love you, Alice.” When she raises her left hand to gently touch him, Hatter catches it and kisses her finger that holds the Stone of Wonderland.  “Mine, my Mate, my love of my life, my soul. Moreover, you will be mine in every way I can and have made you mine, luv. Every single way.”

Alice sighs. “Well, I am yours, Hatter. I think I always have been. But, we need to get moving, love.”

Sighing, Hatter stands up, giving Alice a hand to help her up. “We just need to grab some clothes for a couple of days. Everything else will be sent or made for us.” He walks over to their wardrobe and opens it.

Alice frowns and finally has to ask. “Hatter?”

He answers her as he is trying to think. “Yes?”

She smiles and asks sweetly, “Hatter, dear.”

Where is his jacket? He will also need his bulletproof vest. What about Alice? “Yes, dear?”

Alice turns to him and she shouts, “HATTER!”

Hatter jumps in surprise and turning to Alice, asks, “Alice? What is it luv?”

She laughs at his expression as she inquires, “Why is it every time we open this wardrobe, there are different clothes in here?”

Frowning at her, he answers, “When whoever opens it, the wardrobe tries to present what it thinks they will like to see.”

Alice shakes her head. She will just never get used to Wonderland, she thinks. She reaches in, and grabbing clothes in her hand without looking, she puts them into Hatter’s arms. “Well since it knows what I want, these will work.” Alice turns and goes to the bathroom feeling numb.

Standing there shocked, Hatter watches her. He cannot feel anything through the Bond and that makes him uneasy. He drops her clothes and goes after her. “Alice?”

Alice needs a second. She has handled a large amount of information in a short amount of time. For the most part, she is happy – who wouldn’t be when they are soul bound to a man like Hatter? The other things are overwhelming, but Hatter has been there for her every step of the way. He really is trying to help her understand what is going on. It is also comforting to know that while she had been called a freak in her home world, she fits in here in Wonderland. No one will think she is a freak here because they all have similar, heightened abilities. Hers are unique to her, but everyone has some form of an ability.

But a wardrobe reading her mind? That’s what is freaking her out right now. It is different with Hatter knowing what she feels; she feels the same things from him, a give and take between them, a sharing it could be said even. The Kingdom and Wonderland? They  _asked_  her questions. They never take the information from her without her permission.

Alice goes to the mirror and stares at her image without really seeing it. She is lost in her head and trying to work it out.

Hatter comes in, worried. He can feel nothing from their Bond and, quite frankly, it’s scaring him. He has gotten used to the little emotions that travel through it. In fact, he relishes them because they let him know how she is. It’s also a constant, steady reminder that they are Bonded, that she belongs to him and no one can take her away. It also reinforces that she loves him since that is the feeling that travels along their Bond most often. Actually, the feeling of love is always there, underneath everything else. However, for him to feel nothing? That should be impossible. Not with how strong their Bond is.

He walks in the room and sees Alice standing in front of the mirror. “Alice?” He moves to her, worried when she doesn’t answer. Alice  _never_  ignores him.

Moving behind her, he puts his arms around her. She still doesn’t move, doesn’t melt into him as she normally does. Hatter holds her to him and forces himself to calm down. He will wait right here for her to come back to him and tell him why she is upset.

Alice is lost in her head. She keeps trying to  _think_ , to gain control, to understand what is happening to her. She wants Hatter so badly to make this right, but her mind is rebelling against that also. ‘ _Alice, do you really need to depend on a man?’_ She frowns at the thought and tells herself, ‘ _No. But, even if I do depend upon him, he depends on me. I love him.’_  With that thought, she realizes something else. Hatter completes her. He is the other half of her. Where she lacks in self-confidence, he supports her. Where he needs to be calm, she soothes him. They need each other. In addition, Wonderland and their Kingdom? They want something from them, but they are working with them. They act more like a presence than like godlike beings. Alice understands that they are, or at least Wonderland is, basically godlike, but it acts more like a friend and confidant. They work with Hatter and herself to move towards a common goal. Moreover, Wonderland really cares about her inhabitants.

Hatter stands there with his chin on Alice’s shoulder waiting for his world to come back to him. He’ll change whatever she wants if she will just tell him. He’ll move mountains and oceans for her. The best thing is, he knows that she would do all the same for him. He is unsure what sent her to this state, but he knows she needed to think about it. He remembered that when she had time to think in the Kingdom, she was usually better, calmer, and had more insights into their problems. She is the thinker, and he is the doer. So, he is letting her think and get through what she needs to. He will be here waiting for her to come back to him.

Before Hatter can blink, he feels the Bond open wide and her fear flow through it. He tightens his arms around her instinctively, protecting her with his body if need be. Then the love for him flows through and Hatter feels pure relief in having her back.

Shaking, Alice realizes that she needs to understand Wonderland better. She works to gain back her mind and body. When she does, she is shocked to not feel the Bond! Her fear of losing Hatter comes rushing through her body and she barely gains control of it. Before she panics anymore, she senses Hatter’s love and protectiveness coming though the Bond at the same time she feels his body behind her with his arms wrapped around her. Her love for this man comes over her and helps calm her down somewhat, but the fear is still there.

Hatter holds her close to him and asks her, “Alice, what’s happening?”

Leaning back into his embrace, she tries to explain it to him. “I freaked out. I was handling everything with you and Wonderland helping. But…Hatter. What we have is mutual. What one has, the other has. I love you, and you are my other half in every single way. I never worry about what I feel or think with you, I somehow know that you will understand. Wonderland and the Kingdom of the Knights  _ask_  me what I want. They never take the information from me without my express permission. What freaked me out was a wardrobe closet reading my mind. What else can read my mind? Is there anything private?”

Hatter can feel her getting upset and tries to soothe her. “Alice, luv, shh, calm down. It’s the magic. It is not reading your mind, it’s kinda like it can see glimpses into the future and presents you with choices that match your need. Moreover, since you can make many different choices, it offers you the same. It is nowhere near the same level as the Oraculum or anything like that. It’s a minor magic. Your mind is your own and nothing can take from your mind what you are not willing to give. I will help defend you from any attacks, mental or physical.

Alice turns and reaches up to take his hand in hers. He looks down at her, his other arm still holding her to him. He sighs and then leans his head against hers. “We have so much to talk and work through, luv.  We come from two different worlds, literally. But I love you. And we will work through all this.”

Alice softly tells Hatter, “I love you too, so very much. In fact, that’s what frightened me so much – I could no longer feel our Bond. I could no longer feel the utter complete love you have for me coming through the Bond. There is no need to change anything about you for me; I love you for all of you.  Moreover, the two totally different worlds, I am beginning to think that it won’t be a huge deal. I just need to deal with Wonderland. If your mum could learn, and she is not even a descendent of Wonderland, didn’t even have a father from here to at least try to teach her enough to help her get through this crazy land of ours, then I can.”

Hatter thinks and asks, “Alice, what do you mean about your father?” She has rested her head against his chest and he is running his hand through her hair as he tries to understand.

Relaxing even more, Alice tells him, “I just realized, he knew I would be how I am. He’s the one who insisted I take the judo classes. He’s also the one who played games with me until we found out about chess. He read me stories of Wonderland that had more to do with this Wonderland than the Heart’s Kingdom.”

Hatter leans down, picks her up, brings her to the couch, and settles both of them on it, with him holding his life to him. “I don’t understand.” He cocks his head at her, wanting, needing, to understand what she is saying.

Alice looks up at her world and answers him as her wonder flows through their link. “It’s like he was preparing me for this…”

They both feel Wonderland agree with them. As they look at each other in surprise, Wonderland reiterated to them both that Alices and Hatters belong with each other. And that Wonderland tried to do what it could to help prepare Alice and Hatter.

Hatter’s eyes widen and he croaks out a “Me?”

Wonderland sighs to herself. These two are what legends are going to be made of…but the trials had to be taken on willingly. Therefore, she has helped but never forced any decisions. She made this known to them.

Hatter stares at Alice in shock. Alice chuckles and asks him, “How does it feel Hatter, to know that you were an object of interest for Wonderland? Because, I’ll tell you, it makes me feel a whole hell of a lot better not to be the only one she’s singled out.”

Laughing, Hatter teases, “I am glad that my shock is making you feel better, luv.” He kisses her.

Sighing into his embrace and kiss, Alice realizes they are not going to leave today unless they get moving. “Hatter, we REALLY need to get moving.”

Hatter feels Wonderland’s amusement as she prods both of them. “I’ll pack what we need, Alice. Get anything else you need for this trip and let’s go.”

They both reluctantly get up and get their things packed. Luckily, Time seems to like them and is drawing out the afternoon. They both change into traveling clothes, Hatter in a black leather jacket that looks like his brown one, a dark blue shirt with cream abstract designs on it and black slacks. He wears a black fedora hat. Alice is in dark blue pants that are loose and a cream top with a dark blue, light jacket on top. Before they leave, Alice asks Hatter, “You didn’t pack any heels did you?”

Hatter frowns and answers her puzzled, “No.” Why would he pack heels?

Alice sighs in relief. “Running around Wonderland once in heels is enough. I refuse to do it again anytime soon.”

Hatter laughs as he wraps an arm around her. They talk as they move through the castle to the armory.  When they reach the door, Hatter opens it and waves his Mate in.

Alice is amazed by the number and assortment of weapons in the room. She looks around as Hatter enters behind her and closes the door.

Hatter smiles at her look and heads towards the swords. He is going to grab his sword that is kept here as well as some knives and other weapons. He doesn’t have to act like he doesn’t know how to fight anymore and will not go weaponless again. He still has the guns from the casino and plans on giving Alice one later. It had looked like she could handle them in the casino.

Frowning, Alice turns as she really looks at all the weapons in the room. She turns back to Hatter to ask him a question when she is taken aback by his movements. This is not the same Hatter who had been fighting before. She can see the difference in him, can see what her instincts had told her when she first met him. He is dangerous. Not to her, but her man is definitely a dangerous man to mess with.  Before she is too wrapped up watching him, she asks her question of him. “Hatter, who makes these weapons?”

Hatter was heading to the knives, but stops at her comment turns back and answers Alice’s question. “The weapons master does or if they are found, they are brought here.”

Alice frowns and looking around again sees something that catches her attention. She feels Wonderland encourage her. Alice moves past Hatter to the knives and moves some out of her way to confirm what she is seeing – throwing stars. She reaches out a trembling hand to touch them.

Hatter is watching her with a confused look on his face.  “Luv?”

Alice answers him absently, “I know how to use these, Hatter.”

Hatter eyebrow quirks up giving her a look, one that says, ‘Ok I know you are trying to tell me something, but I am not understanding what the big deal is.’ “Ok, then take them, Alice.”

Alice looks back at him. “Take them?”

He looks back at her and says slowly, “Yes. This is an armory. It’s meant for people who have permission to come and arm themselves.”

She looks back at the weapons and then back to Hatter. “How are you sure that I have permission?”

Hatter sighs. “You wouldn’t have been allowed in the room otherwise, Alice. Now please take them and anything else you think you can use.” He moves beside her and starts to go through the knives and adding them to his body and the sheaths that are built into all his clothing.

Alice watches him then grabs the throwing stars. She also grabs a knife that curves oddly along with some small knives. Hatter watches her out of the corner of his eye and asks casually, “They seem a little small, Alice.” He is curious.

Alice nods and answers, “They are for deflecting more than anything else.” She moves to her left where she is being pressured by Wonderland. Then she stops, amazed at the different types of swords in front of her. Hatter moves to stand beside her, finished with the knives also.

Alice remembers the conversation from earlier at Tea Time and states to him, “You can use any of these.”

Hatter nods as he looks for his sword. “I’ll be happy to work with ya, Alice, to bring your talents up to what you feel you need.”

Alice looks over at him and then moves past him towards something that has caught her attention.  Hatter looks after her and sees her pick up a wooden sheath that is black and oddly curved. He then sees her grip it tightly and pull the blade out of it in one smooth motion. The blade is not one he has seen before, but he finds himself noticing the apparent weight, the curve to the blade and then he realizes the quality of the steel.

Alice smiles feeling the weight in her hands. This is the weapon she has spent the most time with.  Looking at the blade, she can see the watermarks on it. Wondering if she really has what she thinks she does, Alice calls out, “Hatter, can you come here, please?”

Hatter moves up to her and answers, “Yes?”

Alice holds the blade out to him. “Can you please bend the blade for me?”

Hatter looks at her and then at the blade. “Alice? You want me to break the blade?”

Alice hands him the sword correctly and explains to him, “I need to see if this is a true blade of the type I’m used to. It should be able to touch tip to hilt without breaking or being damaged in any way.”

Hatter takes the blade from her, noting the superb balance to it. He grabs the blade with his right hand after flexing it. He glances at her again, making sure it was ok for him to do this. When she nods, he bends the blade. He is surprised that it bends, not easily but not as though he is damaging it. He put some of his strength into making it touch, but once he does,  he releases the blade. He is shocked to see it bounce back into shape with no damage.

Alice sighs happily, “That is the first test. Thank you, Hatter. I needed to make sure I can trust this blade.”

Hatter nods, understanding what she means. His blade is the same way; he trusts it not to break when he needs it. “What’s the next test?” After that impressive stunt, he wants to know what else it can do.

Alice looks up and tells him, “It should be able to cut through steel and silk with the same resistance.  However, I can tell that part already. The true test is what I already had you do.”

Hatter is curious though; he takes the blade over to some old armor and slices the blade across the breastplate. He is surprised to find it sliced through it easily, like a hot knife through butter. Hatter then looks around and sees the polishing cloths and picks an old silk one from there and tosses it in the air. Hatter swings through the silk and is surprised to see it part and flutter down to the ground in two separate pieces. He grins in enjoyment and Alice notices that he looks like a little boy with his grin and dimple showing. She is smiling at him when he looks up at her.

Hatter walks over and presents the sword to her. “Here, Alice. I wholeheartedly agree to this sword for you. It equals my own. I look forward to being able to spar next to you, luv.” The words are formal, but the look on his face is anything but. Alice laughs.

He flashes her his signature grin as he moves towards the door in the back. He opens it and Alice sees a couple of swords in there. She recognizes the swords his mum and fa had on them when they arrived at the Red Kingdom. There is a plain dark blue scabbard with a silver hilt sticking out of it. Hatter grabs this and draws it quickly. He inspects the blade quickly then slides it home. It is all done as though he has done it thousands of times before, and knowing what she does now, he probably has.

Hatter grabs a couple of guards for their swords and moves back to Alice. “Ready, luv?” She nods and they leave the armory together. The only signs that they had been there are their swords, Alice’s slung on her back and Hatter’s on his waist.

When they exit the castle and move across the courtyard, Santi sees their swords and nods. While he knows they need to be back in their kingdom, he too is a little unsure about them traveling the distance by horseback. Before he can start to worry, he hears a voice tell him, “Don’t be worrying about those two. They have, and probably will continue to, handle themselves just fine in a fight.” In front of him Chess appears. The Duke’s eyes widen. “Good afternoon, Cheshire.”

Chess smiles, showing his wide smile to the duke. “Are you ready to deal with those two?” He looks down at his paw to see if there are any broken nails he needs to deal with.

The duke raises his eyebrow at the cat. “I take it you are coming with us?’

Chess yawns. “I have been invited. And I did miss David.” He twists and moves in front of the duke, “But why are you traveling with them?”

Santi smiles, “Because they are the best thing in this land. After living so long under the Queen of Hearts and watching my father being beheaded for voicing his opinion on one of his lackeys… Wonderland needs their compassion and love. Watching their love for each other is a revelation.  Maybe we got dependent on feeling others feelings and not our own, because what they feel for each other is beyond anything I have ever seen. The Queen said that our feelings were not as potent as the Oysters.”

Chess looks thoughtfully at the new Duke of the Kingdom of the Knights. “Maybe she wanted you to think that way so that she could control all of you better. There is no difference between the kingdoms that would cause one’s residents to feel differently. They are all interconnected as is shown now that the Kingdom of the Knights is active; there are people from all over the kingdoms answering the call of the Knights. What the Queen of Hearts did is inexcusable on so many levels. It will take more than Alice and David to fix all of it. Jack will have a lot on his hands also. But Mirana and Carpenter are working on not only getting the Oysters better so that they can be returned to their lives but also healing the Tea Heads. That is not what Wonderland is pressuring Alice and David about. They are not the only ones to feel the pressure; many of the rest of us are as well. I am not sure why it is working through them mostly; David’s parents are also champions.”

Santi tosses this about his head as he moves to saddle his horse, Breetai. “Maybe they are what is so crucial about it. Something about them being who they are and where they need to be. You are not the only one that has observed that Wonderland seems to unusually attentive to those two.”

Santi and Chess look to each other and nod in perfect agreement. While they both are aware that the new King and Queen of Wonderland are very able to handle their own and be able to defend themselves, they will do what they can to protect them, for the sake of all of Wonderland…

Alice and Hatter walk over to the stable entrance. Hatter signals her to wait at the entrance and Alice watches. The stables are unusual in that all the stalls are open for the horses to walk in and out of. They are also in a circular shape as if to make it easier for them to converse with each other.  Hatter walks into the middle of the space and stops. All the horses in the stable look at him with interest in their eyes.

Hatter smiles and asks them, “Alice and I are going to need companions on our journeys and most likely for the rest of our lives. We would like to ask if any of you are willing to put up with us. Just a general warning, Alice is not used to riding, and we will probably be doubling up until she is more comfortable. Who would like to join us?”

Alice is a little uncomfortable with the interest the horses are taking in her. One solid black horse comes forward and walks past Hatter. Alice notices that the horse is perfectly proportioned to her size.   The horse stops in front of Alice and looks at her. Then Alice is floored when the horse asks her, “Are you Alice?”

 

[ ](http://i1.wp.com/kittyinaz.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/aneesa.jpg)

Hatter feels Alice’s shock through the bond and groans. He didn’t even think of warning her that all the horses that speak had came to the White Kingdom when the Kingdom of the Knights fell. However, before he can move to her side or even open his mouth to explain to her, he feels for a moment that she almost laughs then she gathers her wits and answers the horse.

Alice is floored _. The horse talks? Like Mister Ed?_  The thought almost makes her laugh.  Nevertheless, looking at the horse in front of her waiting patiently for her to answer, she realizes that she needs to gather herself. This is why Hatter had asked as he had for a horse for him to use.  “My name is Alice.  But I am unsure of why you are asking me.”

The mare sighs, and then tells her, “I am willing to be  _your_  mount. I will help you learn how to ride and be your partner. However, I want to go to the home I have heard about my entire life, to graze in the green pastures of the Kingdom of the Knights. I admire what I have heard of you and want to be able to assist you, and to eventually become your friend.” Then she turns and looks at Hatter. “But, I will  _not_  bear both of you.”

Hatter speaks quickly, “No ma’am. I wouldn’t dream of it. Nevertheless, I definitely am happy you have volunteered, Aneesa. There is not a single other mount here I would wish for Alice other than you. You would be a good friend and teacher to her.” Hatter turns to Alice and speaks softly to her, “Aneesa is one in a million. Really. Her parents are part of a small herd that is greatly admired for their grace, beauty, intelligence and speed. Aneesa is one of the smartest, most graceful and fastest of them all.  You can see her beauty for yourself.”

Alice is awestruck. She walks closer to Aneesa and asks her, “I am not sure what is waiting for us, what the future holds. Are you still willing?”

Aneesa shakes her head and tells her, “More than willing to be your companion.”

Alice smiles, answering her, “Then I am more than willing to be your companion.”

Aneesa’s ears perk and she looks as shocked as a horse could be. “Alice, you are my rider. I can only be your companion.”

Alice looks puzzled to Hatter, hoping he or Wonderland will explain. Hatter is shocked also with Alice’s answer and is trying to tell her what the difference is.

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/kittyinaz.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/xavier.jpg)

One of the other horses, a dark brown one with a blaze down his face and a cream mane and tail whinnies with laughter. He comes out of his stall and moves to Alice. He carefully bumps Hatter out of the way and lowers his head to Alice’s. “They are both shocked, Queen Alice. While we have to agree to be a mount to someone, afterward we are subject to their will. What you have offered is more.” He stares into her eyes waiting to see what she will do.

Alice frowns and turns back to Aneesa. “Aneesa, I will  _not_  be your master. If you offer companionship to me, then that is what we will be to each other. We will be a partnership. And if you want or need to leave me, then you can do so at any time. I only ask that you tell me why.”

Aneesa’s black eyes widen and she moves closer to Alice. “Alice, I will be happy to promise to agree to your wishes.” A ripple spreads from her, showing her willingness. “Thank you, Alice.”

Hatter is floored, but he agrees wholeheartedly. The way these horses have been treated has always bothered him, but he can never get anyone to talk to him about it. Alice, with her not knowing about Wonderland, cut through all the traditions. Hatter walks to her and hugs her. “Thank you, Alice.”

Alice looks up at him shocked at him thanking her. Based on the shock she is getting from the others, this is not normal, but why is Hatter thanking her? For doing what is right? What they had been doing to these creatures that were as smart as they are is wrong.

Hatter explains softly, “You have done what I always wanted to do. You are freeing the horses.” He cannot explain it any better than that.

Alice is confused then Wonderland shows her what Hatter meant. She gasps. While it is not slavery, it can be. The way the companionship works, the horse becomes like its master. That is why the horses are so careful who they partner with. However, as careful as they are, there is no true way that they can just tell. Alice realizes by what she had done, she has freed Aneesa from this fate.

Looking up at Aneesa, Alice tells her, “You were never meant for that Aneesa. Now you can live to your full potential.” Alice reaches out and Aneesa puts her muzzle in Alice’s hand.

Hatter smiles. The horse that had answered Alice’s question turns to him. “Do you still need a mount?”

Facing the horse, Hatter nods and answers him, “I offer the same deal to you that Alice has offered Aneesa, Xavier. I will be more than happy to offer you friendship other than the traditional companionship.” Hatter is smiling broadly. This is why he has never taken a mount before. Now he can with no feelings of unease.

Xavier whinnies and tells him, “I will be happy to promise to be your friend, King Hatter and agree to those stipulations.” As the ripple spreads from him, Hatter grins. Xavier is not finished, however.  “Hatter, I have been waiting for you to come for your mount for centuries. I am glad you finally came.” Hatter is shocked, but he grins as he puts his hand on Xavier.

Xavier then looks over at Aneesa as he tells Alice and Hatter, “I have no problem carrying both of you.  Now, we need to get saddled and start moving out.”

Alice and Hatter work with both horses and have them saddled shortly. Hatter mounts then reaches down for Alice to mount up. When she moves to get up behind him, he shakes his head.  “Alice, I told you, never again will you be behind me. Please.” Alice remembers why he has become adamant about this and shakes her head. She mounts in front of Hatter and they move out of the stable with Aneesa following behind. They are ready finally to get moving towards their Kingdom.

* * *

Fairfarren~

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Alice-Signature-1.gif)


	10. We Are Marching On

 

_Song I listened to for this chapter: All This Time by OneRepublic_

* * *

Mirana stands there watching everyone getting ready to head out. Hearing hooves on the cobblestones, she looks up to see David and Alice up on Xavier with Aneesa following behind them. She smiles, happy that Xavier is the one companion meant for David and that Aneesa found her companion. It had been foretold that the two horses would be instrumental in the defense of Wonderland. Then Mirana bites her lower lip, wondering why Alice is mounted on Xavier in front of David. Deciding that she is curious enough to go and find out, she moves with her normal airy grace towards the two who are conversing quietly.

Hatter looks up to see Mirana making her way to them. He tightens his arms around Alice to warn her though their bond also serves to let her know. Hatter greets the woman who he feels is like an aunt to him, curious as to what she is needing. “Mirana! How can we help you today?”

Mirana graciously nods her head to the King and Queen of the Kingdom of the Knights. She smiles, thinking about how fitting for these two to be the rulers of that particular Kingdom. Alice, with her skills in chess and her ability to think through to the end game, is well suited as a queen of the Chess Kingdom. Her Mate is a knight and king. He will protect his Queen with all of his powers, but allow her to protect him at the same time. He is also more able to rule the kingdom than either of his parents would have been. They would have merely been placeholders until now. Overall, even with all the sorrow and pain that everyone has gone through, it is better that David finished growing up in the Red Kingdom. The Kingdom of the Knights is supposed to be a combination of the two Kingdoms to allow people to have a choice of where to live that will satisfy their needs. David knows both Kingdoms well, growing up in one and living in the other for centuries. Alice has more love and compassion in her than anyone she has ever seen. These two are so well suited to their kingdom and to the future of Wonderland.

Mirana shakes her head, looks up at the two and asks, “Alice, why are you riding with David? I take it Aneesa accepted you…”

Alice smiles down at the White Queen and tells her softly, “I am not as sure on a horse yet. Aneesa has graciously agreed to bear with me and teach me how to ride. But Hatter and I need to talk, and this way is easier for both of us.” She feels Hatter’s love for her course through the Bond. They do need to talk; Hatter and the horses have been quietly talking to her and teaching her about Wonderland. Both Wonderland and the Kingdom are putting their two cents in as well.

Alice is actually hiding her shock that the Kingdom of the Knights is different from the other two Kingdoms. The White Kingdom itself so rarely talked that no one is sure she can anymore. The Red Kingdom is asleep.

The Kingdom of the Knights is young, and is the most in touch with Wonderland, especially since Wonderland created her to be a vocal part of the Kingdoms. The Red King was never meant to be the King of the Kingdom of the Knights, but he did an excellent job of doing what he could. He helped make it a kingdom of might. Nevertheless, the Queen of Hearts reaction to the first Alice coming back was beyond what anyone, including Wonderland, could anticipate.

Hatter and Alice are both shocked when that tidbit just drops in their head and cannot hide their reaction. “What?!?!?!?!”

Mirana jumps and asks, “What is wrong?”

Looking down at Mirana, Hatter tells her, “Wonderland just told us something completely unexpected.”

At that time, Absolem appears and lands on Alice’s shoulder. He caresses a wing across her face and asks kindly, one might even say lovingly if it wasn’t Absolem. “How are you today, Cherished and Beloved?”

Alice smiles down at him and answers, “I am doing fine, Absolem. Thanks for asking. Now, what do you know of what Wonderland just told us?”

Hatter smiles down at his Mate and Absolem in front of him. He can sense her amusement and fondness for the Keeper of the Oraculum. He sends a burst of love down the Bond and feels it return, in spades.

Absolem sighs and tells them all, “Wonderland does not dictate her people’s lives. Even the Oraculum does not foretell all of our lives. I have tried to tell everyone that it only shows the important dates in the future, but these stupid people ignore me and tell themselves that it foretells every day. As long as Wonderland has and will be around, the scroll would be too big for anyone to handle!” Absolem’s voice warns them that he is even more irritated than normal.

Alice smiles and feels the question from Hatter from the Bond. She answers him, “I’ve never liked knowing my entire life is already mapped out. There’s just something wrong with that. What surprises could there be in any world with an all-knowing foretelling scroll of paper; the inherent repercussions of the bad guys taking it and so on. But knowing it just foretells certain events is much better.”

Absolem chuckles to himself. If only Alice knew that, she is some of those certain events and is predominately in the Oraculum. She and David are meant to correct many matters here in Wonderland and with what is coming up, the Oraculum is pretty graphic on these matters. “The Oraculum is much better hidden now because of exactly that and the fact that Iracebeth actually managed to get her hands on the scroll.”

“Hatter, what did they tell you?” Mirana asks, attempting to bring the topic back to whatever had surprised the two.

Hatter answers her, “Wonderland, the Kingdom, and the three of us were teaching Alice the history of Wonderland. Alice was being told about the bonds with the Kingdoms and how they differ from each other. We had gotten to the part of our kingdom and how it is different from the others. It is more active in its ruler’s lives and it was made with the intention to be a buffer between the other two kingdoms.”

He takes a breath and then informs her, “But then Wonderland and the Kingdom were telling her that the Red King was a caretaker for the Kingdom and was working on making it a kingdom of might.  But when the Queen of Hearts attacked,  nobody knew it was coming, not even Wonderland.”

Mirana gasps in shock. She turns quickly to Absolem to confirm this.

Absolem looks at all the eyes turned to him and then turns to welcome Alice K. and Tarrant to the group. They have come to wish Hatter and Alice good luck. Alice became very curious when she saw the group gathered around. Chess and Santi also walk up to see what is going on. Chess came because of his natural curiosity, Santi because of the look on his liege’s faces.

When Absolem observes that everyone is gathered around, he takes a deep breath, brushes a wing across Alice’s face to reassure her… _and him?_ then enlightens them, again. “The Oraculum did not show anything regarding the Red Queen’s attack. If it had, I would have warned you all. _After_ the attack is when it showed Alice Hamilton coming to save Wonderland. That is also when it showed David going to the Kingdom of Hearts, becoming who he did. It showed these two meeting and then showed that they were the predicted rulers of the Kingdom of the Knights. It also shows you making it to the Kingdom of the Knights. Moreover, working on your Kingdom. But then it refuses to show anymore.”

Pandemonium reigns as everyone tries to talk at once. Then a shrill whistle makes them all stop and turn towards the man who had called them to order. Hatter uncovers his love’s ears and tells them, “It does no good to make a scene. Especially now with everyone gathered watching us. So, we either need to calm down to discuss this or head to a more private place.” He had to do something. They were all overreacting according to his Alice’s emotions.

Closing her eyes, Alice regains her calm and then declares to them all. “I think you rely too much on the scroll. I know you have relied upon it for many years – more years than I can even comprehend – but there is nothing that is concrete in life. We are now finding out that the future of Wonderland was changed by one person’s need for revenge. Absolem, did the scroll show the future of Wonderland before the attack and then erased it, or did it never show that future at all?”

Absolem ponders her question and honestly answers, “I am not sure now that I think about it. We had all gotten complacent about Wonderland and I was not checking it. I have a special connection that it shows me if there is trouble coming ahead. The last time I had checked it is when David was born. We were confirming that Alice and he were going to be fine through the pregnancy and delivery. When Alice would have come back for him and Tarrant, we were going to do the normal checking of his future.”

Alice frowns and asks, “Checking of his future?”

Absolem flutters his wing on her cheek and inquiries of her, “You know children are rare in Wonderland?” When she nods he continues, “It is normal practice to look ahead and see if that child is supposed to have any special training and try to ascertain his talents to make sure he will have the opportunity to learn them. This goes double for a royal. What affects them often affects the lands.”

Alice sighs. The Bond between them positively vibrated with Hatter’s love and support for her, showing his concern with the feelings that are coming from her through their Bond. She is confused and a little angry. With the new revelations coming at her, it is beginning to feel as if her free will is being taken away from her.

Wonderland and the Kingdom of the Knights speak up then and try to explain to her that they are _never_ trying to take away anyone’s free will – especially hers. She cannot complete what she needs to do if her free will is taken away. Moreover, Hatter is in the same boat. They both need their free will to complete the trials in front of them, just as they needed their free will to complete the ones they had just passed. Would it make any difference if she found out now that the events that they have already gone through had been predicted? Would it have really changed her actions, thoughts, or the outcome?   That is all it shows, what the outcome is, not what is in the people’s hearts or minds. Often that is what is more important.

Alice sags against Hatter, trusting that he will support her and tries to think. If what the Kingdom and Wonderland is telling her is right, that means the scroll only shows the outcome. Then she asks, “When it showed Alice on Frabjous Day, what did it show?”

 [](http://i0.wp.com/kittyinaz.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/alicebd_loop_oraculum_5.jpg)

Sensing that this is important, Absolem calls the scroll to him and has it land in Chess’s paws. Chess knows how important the scroll is and will make sure no one can take it. Chess sinks in the air momentarily when the scroll appears. Then he floats closer as the group closes in around him, protecting them both. Chess looks at Absolem.

Absolem scolds Chess, “Stupid cat, I wouldn’t have called it here if I didn’t want her to see it.”

Chess nods and then tosses the Oraculum into the air. It unfurls and lands on the other side of Alice and Hatter. The scroll has unveiled only what Alice asked for. She stares down at the picture and then up to her namesake; the Jabberwocky looked nothing like the one that had chased her and Hatter through the Forest of Wabe. Then she reexamines the scene and gasps.

Hatter feels her surprise and… _happiness?_ He looks down at the picture and sees his mum fighting the Jabberwocky. He tries to see what Alice saw, what had made her so happy.

Absolem smiles. Alice got it, more than anyone in all of Wonderland but him. He softly praises her as he asks, “You understand now, don’t you?”

Mirana and the rest look up at Alice trying to figure out what Absolem is talking about. They see the same scene they had seen time and time again. Tarrant closes his eyes briefly, remembering what had transpired to make that scene come about.

Alice looks at Absolem and nods. Then she requests of him, “May I explain?” Before Absolem can agree, the Kingdom and Wonderland tell her to go ahead. Seconds later, Absolem is agreeing also. “Yes. Maybe then, they will understand what you have been trying to tell them. Cherished and Beloved, your role in this world is to help us.”

Alice nods and looks up into Hatter’s soft brown eyes. She senses him sending his support and love,  but she also feels his curiosity behind all of the emotions. He _is_ after all, the son of the first Alice that had been known over many years of having a lot of curiosity.

Smiling up at him she asks him softly, “Hatter when you look at the Oraculum, what do you see?”

Hatter frowns and he answers her, “I see me mum fighting the Jabberwocky.”

Alice nods and gently encouraging her love to look again, asks, “What else do you see?”

Hatter glances at her and then looks back at the scroll. Staring at it, he tries to figure out what she is saying. Then all of a sudden it comes to him. The scroll shows nothing but that his mum is fighting the Jabberwocky. Not her slaying it, not the battle below that he knows had been taking place, not his mum leaving afterwards. _It shows nothing_ **but** _that one piece of the puzzle!_

Alice’s smile gets bigger as his surprise and then understanding radiate through the bond. In the back of her mind, she notes that she is feeling more and more of his reactions and feelings from the Bond than at first.

Hatter glances at her and tells her, “It really shows us nothing, does it? It only shows us that Mum is the one to fight the beast. It never shows anything that happened before her arrival or what was going on in those days, during or after the fact.”

Tarrant gasps in shock and moves closer to the scroll. He looks down and sees that his son is right. The Oraculum doesn’t show Alice defeating the Jabberwocky. It only shows that she was the one to fight the creature. His eyes turn a reddish color and he demands of the scroll, “Yer slurking urpal slackush scrum of a  bloody scroll, show me wha’ you had of me bairns!”

The Oraculum jumps and it moves quickly to show the Mad Hatter what he has requested. Who Tarrant _is –_ the Mad Hatter, a Champion of Wonderland, the Lord of the Hightopp Clan, an intricate part of the magic of Wonderland – all of this gives him the authority to demand more than the man ever has. However, his anger sparks his other side, the protective side.

Alice and Hatter gasp as it shows their first meeting in the Tea Shoppe. Then it blurs again and shows them on the ledge outside of the Tea Shoppe and Hatter offering his hand to her. Moving again, it shows them in the Great Library talking with the refugees suggested below them. Then it shows their kiss at the fireside of the Manor. It moves slower and shows Alice hanging off a board above a deep abyss. This causes Hatter to tighten his arms around his love, remembering finding her there and the terror he had felt is one of his vivid memories of Alice being scared.

The scroll moves again and shows Alice straining against the Suits as Hatter is on the ground under a large group of Suits. Then it shows Alice crying in one-half of the scene and on the other side Hatter being tortured. It shows the children being pulled into Wonderland against their will. Before anyone could react, there is Alice crying, then Alice facing off against the Queen of Hearts. Hatter is nowhere in either scene.

Tarrant screams in anger. “That slurking urpal scroll is nae useless! If either Alice or me had seen this, we would hae thought our son dead!”

Absolem watches Tarrant and tells his oldest friend, in a voice that sounds dead, “Tarrant, this is why I never showed you the Oraculum. I was broken hearted that _I_ could not see David anymore; much less expose you to that heart-wrenching thought. And I have known what Alice has just figured out for centuries.”

Comprehension dawns on everyone’s faces at that time. Alice informs them, “The scroll does nothing but show a snapshot of a scene. It doesn’t even show all of the scene, just a portion. I had to confront the Queen of Hearts. Hatter was there by my side the entire time, but I was the crucial person in that scene so it shows only me. This is not telling the whole story. I never would have done what I did without having Hatter there with me. I wanted our life together to start. To do that, we had to finish the Queen of Hearts and her rule. If Hatter had not been there supporting me, I would not have been able to do what I did.”

Hatter then speaks up to his parents. “The same thing with the Jabberwocky, Fa. It doesn’t show the fighting below, that it was only because you interfered and wouldn’t let Mum’s life end earlier. It doesn’t show anything but the scene before Mum had cut off the head of the Jabberwocky. But everyone took that to mean that she was the only one that could defeat the Jabberwocky.”

Alice Kingsliegh is in shock as she realizes that David and Alice are correct. They all had put too much trust in the Oraculum. The one thing that has always bothered her about Wonderland is now put to rest.  She never lost her freewill. She is the one who freely chose to rescue Tarrant. She is the one who chose to don the armor of the Champion.

The group looks at each other. Santi speaks up and quietly tells them, “I would encourage that everyone in this group keep this all to themselves. The advantage this gives us is immense. However, if we let all of Wonderland know this, then the advantage goes to any foes we have. With how much Wonderland and the Kingdom of the Knights are pressuring everyone, I think it wise to keep this quiet.”

Hatter thinks over what his duke is telling the group and then looks down at Alice. This is her choice.  She is the one who had poked and prodded until the knowledge came forth. Before he can open his mouth to ask her, he feels her agreement with Santi. He cocks his head to the side trying to understand.

Alice takes pity on her Bonded and teases him, “Chess player here, Hatter. What Santi has just said is appealing to that side. So with all I have learned about talents, I should listen to mine right?”

Tarrant has calmed down from what he had seen. He answers his daughter, “Aye, Alice. Your talents are there tae help you.”

Alice K. walks up to her daughter and son, putting a hand on the younger Alice’s leg, she tells her, “Trust your instincts and talents, Alice. They are some of the most powerful tools you have. Also trust your Bond and love with Hatter. Neither of those will ever fail you.” She hopes that this information will help her new daughter.

Absolem sends the Oraculum away and everyone breaks up to make ready for Alice’s and Hatter’s departure.

Xavier comments dryly, “I can see already that there is never a moment to be missed around here.”

The comment catches Alice and Hatter off guard and their laughter rings out in the courtyard. It reassures everyone that had seen the meeting and the reactions. If the new King and Queen can laugh, then there is nothing to concern them.

Everyone gets sorted out and good byes are said. No goodbye is permanent with Chessur and Absolem available to transport anyone instantly to any part of Wonderland for them to visit each other.

Hatter leads the way out of the courtyard with Alice still in front of him. The Court follows them, then the soldiers that are coming with them. The knights chant to themselves, “Right, Right, Right, Left, Right…”

Alice chuckles as she hears them. She finds it eerie to hear a voice where she never sees a mouth. She then asks Hatter, “What happened to the chess pieces? They have no mouth…”

Hatter looks down at his love and answers her, “They will change now that they are ours instead of Mirana’s. Moreover, if you like them to look human, they will. I truly have no preference, so yours will prevail over them.”

Shaking her head, Alice asks, “And you guys never think that this is too much power in a liege’s hands?”

Hatter sighs. “That is why it is so important to have the Bond with a Mate and with the lands. These usually put a check on the liege’s power. Can you imagine having to fight all three? You and I have no problems, since right now, we agree on so much, or one of us has a preference over the other not caring. However, if the decision goes against the other of us, Wonderland or the Kingdom, pressure will be brought down everywhere to get it fixed. Remember, there is free will. However, it will be harder to stand under that sort of pressure for long. We think that was the final straw with Iracebeth, she was fighting Wonderland and the Red Kingdom on what she was planning.”

Alice thinks about it as they move along silently. Hatter respects his Mate’s need to think through things. It’s her ability to do so that has opened him and others up to new thoughts and realizations. To be honest, he is happy there is nobody dictating his every move. Then his mind slides to what the Oraculum had shown to his Fa’s demand. He had recognized the scene that showed when he had started to fall in love with Alice. He wonders at the scene on the ledge outside the Tea Shoppe. Is that where Alice had started her own descent in love with him? Or is there some other significance to that scene? He knows looking back at it, that it was the first time she had truly trusted him. She had trusted him to lead her with her fear of heights.

Chessur floats forward and clears his throat. Aneesa looks at him and asks, “And you are needing what, you meddlesome cat?”

Alice is shaken out of her thoughts by her companions’ comment.

Chessur lazily answers back, “I thought you would like me just like Alice.”

Aneesa laughs and tells him, “Alice is wise and freed me. I am here because I love her. Not because I have to.”

Chess turns in the air and floats closer to Alice. “Is this true, luv?”

Hatter’s shoulders shake in laughter. Chess is incorrigible. He knows Chess would never do anything to take Alice away from him, but Chess can’t help but flirt.

Alice looks at her friend and tells him flatly, “Yep.” Moreover, because she is in a whimsy moody, she takes a page from Hatter and pops the p.

Hatter can’t hold it in anymore and his laughter rings free. He hugs Alice to him and comments, “Chess, leave us alone for a little bit.”

Chess grins at him and fades out, until only his grin is showing. Then even that disappears.

Alice leans back into Hatter.

Hatter feels her exhaustion and her desire to take a nap and quietly suggests, “Alice, sleep my love. It’s been a long day. Time graciously gave more of himself today so we could complete what we needed to. I’ll watch over us both.”

Alice gives in and relaxes against her Bonded. Soon she is sleeping. Hatter keeps an eye out, but mostly keeps an eye on his love.

This causes him to miss the golden eyes watching them as they leave the White Kingdom.

* * *

Fairfarren~


	11. Lift Me Up

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_Song I listened to for this chapter: The Catalyst by Linkin Park_

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Hatter looks around, a slight sense of unease creeping down his neck as if someone is watching them, however, neither Wonderland nor the Kingdom of the Knights is warning him of anything. He knows it’s not safe to rely them completely, but he is unable to find what his instincts are warning him of.

He tries to keep himself calm and not wake Alice. Their bond is unusually strong for as little time as they have been together. He has noticed that the land bond is strong in both of them as well. All this is helping his Alice feel more in control, and in his mind, there is nothing wrong with his love, being calm.

Hatter just looks around and keeps a closer watch on what is going on. He knows it will not take much time, maybe a day if that, to get to the Kingdom of the Knights. The kingdoms are small, but Wonderland is still growing. When he had mentioned that to Alice in one of their conversations, she hadn’t understood. Wonderland grows as is needed to make room for everyone. The Kingdom of the Knights was a forest originally between the Rabbit Hole and the kingdoms. Once his mum had won the Kingdom of the Knights, Wonderland grew to allow the room for it. The Forrest of Wabe still has a branch that runs close to March Hare’s home. His mum had actually traveled through it to get to his fa and then later to Marmoreal.

When the queens went to battle, it had only taken the armies a couple of hours to travel to the battleground between the two. In fact, it is that battleground that became the Kingdom of the Knights because of the Kingdom’s function as being a middle ground between the other two. When she had battled the Jabberwocky, this had helped his mum because she was essentially battling it on her own ground. The Kingdom had not been as awake then as it is now, but Hatter suspects it had tried to help its future queen. He remembers his fa mentioning that the Jabberwocky had tripped more than once when trying to get to Alice.

It had taken Alice and Hatter most of a day to travel from Salazum Grum to the Manor. Nevertheless, when Hatter came back from Salazum Grum to let Alice know of the deal he had made with the Resistance, it had taken him less than four hours. He had been booking it, worried about Alice and not wanting her to come after him, but now he is puzzled that it had taken him so little time.

Wonderland answers him and tells him she had helped. She hadn’t wanted Alice to worry any more than she already had been.

 Hatter snorts and asks Wonderland, ‘ _Do you live in my head to answer any and all questions?’_

Wonderland… _giggles?_ Hatter doesn’t know if that is the answer to the funny feeling he got in his head, but it is the closest he can come to it. Then she answers, telling him that she is part of _everything_ in Wonderland. She is just more connected to the rulers of Wonderland than everyone else is. As for Alice and Hatter in particular, well, she is just even more in tune with them.

Hatter sits back in the saddle to ponder that. He has noticed that Wonderland seems to talk with them more and more. He’s been wondering about it and hadn’t had time to speak with anyone about it before they left Marmoreal. However, thanks to his instincts telling him to just ask, he did so and received an answer.

Before he can explore this anymore, Santi rides up beside him. Hatter is a little shocked since everyone has been leaving them alone to allow Alice some sleep. But then he feels her stir awake.

 

Alice wakes to Hatter’s emotions. He feels…intrigued and a little confused. “Hatter?” she asks as she looks up at him.

Hatter holds her a little closer and answers her softly, “I’ll explain later Luv.”

Alice nods and then notices Santi. “Good afternoon, Santi.”

Santi smiles at his Queen, giving a little bow with his hand over his heart. While he is Hatter’s man, his heart and devotion is to his Queen. He would never try to interfere with their Bond; it isn’t even an option in his mind. Nevertheless, this woman has garnered his admiration with the way she handled the Queen of Hearts. She freed a land that had been broken while living under a loaded gun named the Queen of Hearts. The Queen had been crazy. There is no other way to describe it. Anything at all could set her off as he had learned to his profound sadness and regret. Alice, on the other hand, is love and compassion. So is the White Queen, but Alice has no trouble defending what she perceives is hers. You know if there is something wrong, she will work to take care of it. The White Queen couldn’t often deal with things personally due to her vows, but luckily, she has her champions.

Which brought Santi to why he is here. The White Queen has Champions. Hatter and Alice _are_ their own Champions.

Santi greets his Queen, “Good afternoon, Alice.”

Hatter glances back along their line and then makes a slow and thorough perusal of their surrounding area. He then looks back at Santi and realizes the duke has noticed him looking. “I feel like something is watching us, but neither Wonderland nor the Kingdom have said anything. Makes me uneasy.”

Santi nods before speaking, “I have had a single question asked of me, by many of your new subjects.  And, while I know the answer, I am not sure if I am to share it.”

Alice raises an eyebrow and inquires, “What is it, Santi?”

Santi looks at both of them and says, “They want to know who is the Champion of the Kingdom of the Knights.”

Hatter frowns and senses Alice’s confusion. He answers for both of them, “We are. We are also Champions of Wonderland. This was announced when we were crowned. Neither of us quite understand why you would hesitate to answer this question.”

Santi takes a deep breath and then tells them, “The Kingdom of the Knights has been without rulers for so long. The White Queen has both of your parents as her Champions. They are the first Champions for a long time, and now that you and Alice are both Champions… people may be worried that it may mean that one of you will be killed while you are defending your kingdom.”

Alice gasps and then leans out of Hatter’s arms to make her point to Santi. “Santi, we are _never_ to lie to our subjects. Alice Kingsliegh was also the Champion of the Kingdom of the Knights as well as its Queen; Tarrant is the Champion of all of Wonderland. They were both the leaders of this kingdom before us. Don’t you think that Wonderland will make sure that the Kingdom will be taken care of? They are both wide-awake and more than able to display who and what they want. Hatter and I are no slouches; we can both take care of ourselves. We did it under restrictions beneath the Queen of Hearts’ rule and now all restrictions are off of Hatter and I am aware of my abilities. Hatter and I will be working with Charlie to continue sharpening our skills.”

 

Santi watches his Queen and then looks back at Hatter.  He sees in Hatter’s eyes that, while everything Alice had said is true, Hatter will do his damnedest to protect his mate, his queen. It will not be checkmate to take Hatter, no, to have a true checkmate; you would need to take Alice. He further realizes that Alice is right; they are not the same as the White Queen. They are completely different.  Their devotion for each other, their love for each other will drive them to defend themselves and their kingdom. They are not ones to hang back as Mirana has done in the past, allowing others to fight for her.

Alice can feel Hatter’s determination that she never be in harm’s way again. She sends to him her own determination to be by his side no matter what.

Hatter groans, sensing her response and he tells her, “Alice. I _need_ you safe, Luv.”

Aneesa snorts. “Hatter, my companion will be what she is. Would you be in love with her if she had been some weakling?”

Hatter sighs and answers her, “No, Aneesa. I would not be in love with her had she been anything other than who she is. However, can you blame me for wanting her safe? She is my Mate.”

 

Xavier whinnies and answers them both, “Both of you are correct. But there are more here to help keep both Hatter and Alice safe. For instance, there is both Aneesa and I; we will be with you all the time.  There is Chessur and Santi who will be around and advising. In addition, once we are in the Kingdom, there will be more to help protect you. None of us wants anything to happen to either of you, Hatter. It would destroy us.”

Alice feels a little overwhelmed by the outpouring of emotions. Then picking up how everyone is including her, she baldly asks, “Why? I can understand your feelings for Hatter, you have all known him. But for me?”

Everyone stops and stares at Alice. She tries again, “I’m trying to understand. Is it because how it would affect Hatter if something happened to me?” Alice grows uncomfortable with the heavy silence as everyone stares at her. All she feels from Hatter is pure shock. She is very confused and feeling a little bit lost.

Wonderland reads the situation and sends a command to the Guardian. He is needed to make Alice truly understand her worth to not only her citizens but to all of Wonderland’s inhabitants; he may be the only one who can. Alice trusts him.

 

Absolem appears in answer to Wonderland’s command and lands on Alice’s shoulder. She jumps, but Absolem flutters his wings over her cheek, giving her the caress that she is beginning to associate with their meetings. “Cherished and Beloved, you are named thus correctly and justly, not just by myself or Hatter. That is your name by many. Your compassion and love has been witnessed on many occasions – while watching the refugees in the Great Library, sacrificing yourself to protect Hatter, helping a knight find his courage. You forgave a man who had forgotten you and one who did not know what he wanted. You stood up and fought when you had lost everything just because you witnessed something that was wrong. In the process, you stood up to and brought down and insane ruler, saving everyone in Wonderland. All of this was witnessed by others.

“Hatter fell in love with your compassion as he watched you care for a people not your own even though you knew they may have been the reason you had lost your father. Charlie became _your_ knight after seeing and feeling your love for your father whom you hadn’t seen in so long. Chessur loved you after witnessing your love for Hatter and how much you were willing to sacrifice for his closest friend. He then admired you when you called him to help Hatter, forsaking his comfort. Santi admired you as he watched you handle the Queen of Hearts even as she did what she could to break you. He then loved you as his queen when you forgave your father and others for what they had done to you. Aneesa and Xavier love you because you freed them. I, myself, love you after watching you all this time doing what you could for a land that you had no knowledge of being your own.

“I could list for hours others that call you Cherished and Beloved. In fact, you are more loved and cherished than anyone in Wonderland. This is what we need. Love and compassion has been in too short of supply in Wonderland. We need you to reawaken these feelings in us. For doing so, most of us will do what we can to protect you.”

During this time, Chessur appears and curls around Alice. Santi and Hatter are nodding agreement, remembering the situations Absolem spoke about. Xavier and Aneesa are both nodding their heads as well. Alice is in shock, “But, I wasn’t doing anything someone else wouldn’t have done!” There is no need for the entire land to feel this way when she had done nothing special.

Hatter wraps his arms around his Alice and holds her to him. “Alice, that’d be where you’d be wrong, Luv. Compassion has been sorely missing from Wonderland for so long. There is no Tea for it, even.  Love is banned as a Tea. But what you did is show us what those feelings are. My love for you came about because of your compassion for the refugees in the Great Library. Before then, I lusted for you,  felt pity for you, and maybe started to have the suggestion of love for you. But watching you watching the refugees that was the point where I can say I fell in love with you.” Hatter takes a deep breath, “I was confused when we went to meet Dodo because I was unsure what this feeling was. However, when he threatened you with his gun, my heart stopped. I couldn’t allow you to get hurt. I would have stepped in front of the bullet without a vest. I still would. I love you more than I can possibly tell you, and I plan to spend the rest of my life showing you.” With that, he sends his love for her through the Bond as he kisses her gently in contrast to the feelings he is sending to her.

Alice gasps as his love for her tears through her like a hurricane. She sends her own love back to him and can feel him react to it. The love they both have for each other is indescribable.

Absolem then tells her, when they break apart, “This is why everyone wants to protect you, Alice.  Both of you really. Neither of you would be who you are without your other half and we know this.”

 

Alice’s eyes fill with tears threatening to fall and then Chess saves her, “Luv, you should know that we all love you. Why else would we be taking this long trek through the forest, not knowing how long we will be camping out in the bushes until the Kingdom is rebuilt?”

They all laugh. Then the Kingdom sings joyfully in their heads, leaving everyone stunned as it leaves them.

Santo shakes his head and comments, “It will definitely be different living in this kingdom. While I’m not sure what that is about, I did send my Clubs a message to try to arrange some living quarters for us.”

Hatter is chuckling at everyone’s reactions. “I have my own suspicions on what we will all find when we get there.”

Alice smiles up at him. She herself is a little suspicious of what they may find but will keep her suspicions to herself since she is not sure what Wonderland is capable of.

The group laughs and jokes, Absolem staying on Alice’s shoulder. This is the first time in a long time that there has been any time just to be themselves, to enjoy life and celebrate being alive and the new beginnings that everyone can feel. Everyone in the party is very aware of this, so they make the best of it. The train of people behind them take their cues from their leaders and relax. Not so much that anyone can attack them, but enough to allow them to talk and to find out more about each other.

 

The Golden Eyes watches all of this, confused. The last time he was in Wonderland, it had been a land under siege. After he tried to attack and save what he could, he had left for the Outlands to heal. It has taken centuries for all the injuries to heal and he has just awakened. He’s unsure what is going on, but he continues to follow Hatter and Alice. He feels a pull towards them.

After most of the day passes, the group enters the Kingdom of the Knights. Alice and Hatter feel the difference once they are in their actual kingdom. It’s hard to explain, but they just feel more in touch with their surroundings.

Alice looks up, trying to see the chess pieces that are the buildings for the Kingdom and gasps. Her shock and surprise travels to Hatter who has straightened up to see what has affected his mate so. Then his mouth drops open in shock.

 

Everyone looks to see what has surprised their lieges and see a kingdom of legend. There are no more worn down buildings, no more destroyed and toppled chess pieces. They are not close enough to see any details, but they can see the tops of a restored city in front of them. Then they round a curve in the road and see the road itself is repaired.

Alice finally whispers, “How?”

Absolem answers her, “Wonderland and the Kingdom. It has always been meant for you and Hatter  but it was built by others with a hope that you would be happy with it. You loved the Kingdom as it was, so it repaired itself. It had started the process when it woke up. Much of what you saw was not the damage from the fighting, but from the Kingdom itself not paying attention and letting everything deteriorate. So, she and Wonderland worked together to make it right. Call it a thank you gift. To be honest, you don’t have the luxury to spend a lot of time fixing and repairing the Kingdom; you have enough to do with getting your rule started. I don’t need to tell you that something is coming.”

Everyone looks at the Guardian. They had all sensed it. Seeing how much Wonderland and the Kingdom of the Knights have done, makes them all a tad uneasy. A storm is coming.

Hatter finally asks, “If you learn anymore, will you please let us know, Absolem?”

Alice looks also on her friend on her shoulder. Absolem looks up at her and advises her, “Cherished and Beloved, I will do what I can to forewarn everyone. I will however, leave you this. The scroll just unveiled a new scene.”

Alice cocks her head and asks, “Absolem, can you please tell me about it?”

Absolem tells her softly, “It shows you going through the Looking Glass.”

Hatter’s arms tighten around her. Chessur floats off of Alice’s other shoulder in shock. Santi and the horses stare at Absolem. This is not something anyone could have imagined or want to hear. Alice leaving Wonderland?

 

Alice looks at Absolem as she sends her love back to Hatter, reassuring him even if it shows her leaving, she will never _ever_  leave him permanently as long as she is able to breathe. She can’t even imagine it. She finally asks, “Was that all it showed?”

Absolem nods. He had just received the image and is still shocked. He can’t imagine a reason for Alice to leave, and yet it shows her doing it out of her own free will. Knowing her love for Hatter alone makes it impossible to even fathom. He caresses her cheek and tells them to call him if they need him.  When they nod, he takes flight and disappears, going to do what he can to find out more.

Alice sits there and thinks as Hatter is reacting to the news. They are moving towards their kingdom and she is not sure what time she will have to think once they enter it. As they cross the bridge into the Kingdom, she’s quiet.

Hatter is scared and worried. Alice leaving Wonderland? He is very aware that Alice loves him and would not be leaving him permanently. No, he’s more worried about how the two of them will survive being that far apart with their Bond being so new, with both of them so needing each other’s physical presence. It pains them to be slightly far apart now.

He knows how much pain it caused his mum and fa to be separated from each other, each in a different world, but their Bond had not been acknowledged yet. What will this do to Alice and himself? He knows Alice is thinking, trying to figure out the hows and whys, but he continues to hold her close to him. He cannot be apart from this woman.

The group is quiet as they make their way into the Kingdom. As they approach where the White Knight had lived, Hatter notices how different the Kingdom looks. It has kept a lot of nature in its structure.  In his mind, it makes it more like a fairy tale, a city that had formed in the middle of a forest.  Nevertheless, he is impressed with the Kingdom, all in all. His military trained mind notes the defenses built into it. They are well hidden, but the Kingdom is showing them to him so that he can make the best of it, if it is ever needed. This city will not be taken easily if ever invaded again.

As they stop in front of the palace gates, Alice moves to get off Xavier when Hatter murmurs into her ear, “Luv, we are home.” She nods, still distracted. She needs to solve this mystery for both of their sakes.

Before she can slide off the horse, though, someone lifts her off of it and hugs her. She looks up, knowing it is someone she knows based on Hatter’s amusement. Then Alice laughs in joy and hugs back her knight. “Charlie!”

He has a huge grin on his face. “Just Alice!! Or shall I call you my Queen?”

Hatter laughs along with everyone. He answers for his Luv since Charlie is still hugging her, “She prefers to be called Alice, Charlie.” Hatter dismounts smoothly and moves towards him.

 

Charlie hugs Alice hard and then releases her to grasp Hatter’s outstretched hand. “My King. I am more than pleased to call you that, Hatter. Even though you tried to keep it hidden from me.”

Hatter smiles at him, “We have some matters to take care of, but will you train the Knights, Charlie?  As to the other matter, there were promises that had to be kept.”

Charlie nods in acknowledgment of the burden of secrets and promises. He has been made aware of the promises; Mirana had sought him out in the Red Kingdom to explain why Hatter had not been able to acknowledge if Charlie had been right when he had almost guessed who Hatter was.

Alice walks over and puts her arm around her mate.  “And Charlie, we need to swear you in as my knight.”

Hatter smiles and nods. “I can’t be her knight since I am her king. And in the chess world of which she is queen, in more ways than we ever imagined, she needs a knight.”

They both keep quiet on the fact that Charlie has to be, and always has been, her knight. Hatter has always been more than just Alice’s knight. In addition, Charlie will not be her knight in the traditional manner, she or Hatter will handle any knightly duties in that manner themselves. Charlie is too valued in other matters to risk himself in that manner.

Charlie’s smile gets bigger and he bows. “I would be more than honored to be your knight, milady.”

Santi walks up to them after speaking with the Clubs that had come forward when he had ridden in.  “My lieges, while the city is rebuilt, there is still some work to be done. My people have asked for the artisans to come. They were left behind to start arriving in a few weeks; only the ones that were needed in the actual rebuilding came right away. However, there are no furnishings or anything in the city itself. The only place fully habitable is the palace, and even then it is minimally furnished by the Kingdom. Our people have been working to make it livable for you.”

Hatter smiles and speaks to the group, “I thank you for doing what you could for our queen and myself. I was not looking forward to sleeping on the ground. Please go on doing what you can for the rest of the Kingdom, this will be your home also.”

The Clubs leave, pleased with their lieges. They have heard from others that their king and queen really cared for them and they are happy to see this is true. It’s a breath of fresh air after living so long in servitude to the Hearts.

Hatter turns to his mate and asks her gently, “Care to find where we are sleeping, Luv?”

Alice nods. Charlie speaks up and tells them, “I will be more than happy to escort you both to your chambers.”

They move through the gates and enter what can only be called a palace. Alice is completely shocked by the beauty surrounding her. She loves the fact that nature is everywhere. It feels like Rivendell has come to life around her. They move into the airy entrances and she thinks of how hard it would be to defend this from any attackers. The Kingdom then shows her how defensible it really is. It may look airy and open, but there are a lot of things to impede any attacker’s entrance. The Kingdom of the Knights is taking no chances with her promised king and queen. After seeing how they love the beauty of the outdoors, it had tried to combine their wishes with its own need to keep them safe.

They move through the building and Charlie leads them to a set of rooms that are hidden behind many turns and twists. When he arrives at the door to their suite, they see two knight pieces on either side of the door carved out of stone. Alice and Hatter look at each other and go to move forward, but Charlie stops them, turning to the knights and bowing.

Charlie asks the knights, “Do you recognize them?”

Alice and Hatter are shocked as the knights answer Charlie, “Yes.”

Charlie nods and orders them, “You will always guard them in these rooms.” He then moves to the side and advises Alice and Hatter, “These knights will never need to sleep. They will guard you two in your rooms. They can move through stone itself to get to you.”

Hatter nods to Charlie. “Thank you.”

Charlie smiles and answers him, “Harbinger, I care for you both. Now, I will see you in the morning.”

The two watch the Guardian of the Curtsey walk down the hallway. Then Hatter turns and picks up his Mate bridal style with a mischievous look on his face then proceeds to open the door and carry her across the threshold. Alice laughs at her Mate and the pure impish look on his face as he does this.  Once inside the door, they both look around, shocked at the sheer beauty of the rooms. The rooms are open to nature. They also overlook their kingdom. Hatter puts Alice down as he moves through the rooms, assessing the safety of them. Alice just asks Wonderland and the Kingdom to show her. They do so and she is relieved. The beauty of the rooms just hides the steel underneath. Tired from the ride, Alice sinks down on the couch and goes back to thinking about what Absolem told them. She can still feel Hatter’s unease and fear for them underneath the calm he is projecting for her and their people.

Hatter moves back in their bedroom after Wonderland and their kingdom shows him the defenses in the other rooms. He is satisfied that he and his mate will be safe here. Finding Alice sitting on the couch, thinking, his fear returns. He moves to her and crouches down at her feet, looking in her face, waiting for her to solve the issue, trusting her to be able to see what he is unable to see.

Alice feels Hatter as he realizes what she is doing and then senses him take her hands. He rubs the Stone of Wonderland to remind them both of what else they have together. Then everything crystallizes. “Hatter!”

Hatter feels her surprise and he pulls her into his arms. “Alice?”

Alice looks up at him and blurts out, “I have to go.” Before she can say anything else, his despair crashes through the link. She almost cries out at it and cups his face in her hands as he fights not to grab her and run, hiding them from everyone and everything that would attempt to separate them.  “Hatter, I will _NOT_ leave you. I can’t, you’re my other half. I would be a walking husk of a person.  Hatter, I love you!”

Hatter forces himself to listen to her and brokenly asks her, “I love you, Alice and I know that you will never leave me. But… why?”

Alice nods and as she forces her love and devotion to him through their bond, she explains, “I need to start the Looking Glass to return the Oysters. I also need to get my mother to come here. My father showing up there would be too much of a shock.”

Hatter listens and asks, “Why can’t I go with you?” While internally his mind is screaming, ‘ _I need you, Alice!! Don’t you need me to be there with you?’_

Alice looks at him while his need to be with her is pounding through the Bond. “I don’t know. I think you need to handle our kingdom,” she answers.

Hatter just stares at her and then demands, “You need to take someone with you. Alice, I _need_ you safe!” ‘ _This is the only way I can let you go. What if it is too much?’_

Alice just stares at her mate. She can feel his need to be with her and knows he is sacrificing so much to even allow her to leave. She finally calls, “Chess, I need you.”

Chessur appears and takes in the scene in front of him. “What can I do to help, luvs?”

Alice never takes her eyes from Hatter’s as she explains the problem. Chess nods and then gives his opinion to Hatter. “I can go between the worlds as Absolem and Nivens can. I think either your mother or father should accompany Alice.”

Hatter finally speaks, his voice heavy with emotion, “How can either of them survive the distance?”

Chessur disappears, knowing that this needs more minds involved and reappears with Tarrant, Alice K, and Mirana. He explains what is going on before the three can react to the change of scenery in front of them.

 

Tarrant finally speaks and tells his son, “She ‘es right, David.” His brogue is heavy as he watches his children suffer. He understands Alice’s reasoning, but he knows as well as his mate and son do, this will be a pain that neither can ever prepare for. But at the same time, they have been separated before.

Hatter looks at his fa and blankly tells him, “I know. But how can I?” ‘ _How can I let her go, knowing as I do the pain it will put her through? But what about the pain she will be in, not having given her mum a chance to be here, for her family to be united again?’_

Tarrant nods as he understands the spoken and unspoken words his son was trying to hide from his daughter and then looks at his Bonded. She nods, understanding his need to be the one to protect his one and only daughter.  Tarrant tells everyone, “I will go. Mirana, can you give me something to make me more normal for Alice’s world?” Mirana nods, tears in her eyes for her friends. She knows all of them will be in pain.

Alice finally asks, “How?” How are Tarrant and Alice even considering being the ones to be with Hatter and herself when they will be in pain themselves?

Tarrant tells her, “Because we have been bonded for centuries. Because we have done it in the past.  Because my daughter and son need me.” Nothing more needs to be said in his mind. Tarrant doesn’t make decisions often, but when he does, everyone obeys.

Alice and Hatter both look at him. Hatter sees his fa is determined to do this. His mum tells them, “I will stay here with Hatter. Chess will go with Alice and Tarrant. Hurry back.”

The group agrees and Chess takes the three back to Marmoreal. Alice and Hatter move into each other’s arms. Hatter picks her up and walks to their bed, neither able to do more than hold onto each other as they fall asleep in their kingdom.

In another part of the Kingdoms, in a hidden underground room, a group of people is meeting. This group is not what you would call friends, but they are united under the same leader and same goals; the goals of wanting their kingdoms back or to have a kingdom given to them. Their leader wants nothing more than revenge.

* * *

Fairfarren~


	12. I Keep Holding On To You

 

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Anthem of the Angels by Breaking Benjamin_

* * *

 

Hatter wakes up in the morning and reaches for Alice. He can feel her through their bond, but he has a need actually to hold her at the moment. Knowing that she will be leaving soon is tearing him apart. He has a need to protect his Alice – he’s had it since the beginning, truth be told – so allowing her to leave without him goes against every protective, knightly instinct in him.

As much as she thinks Hatter is not her knight, that he can’t be since he’s her Mate and Charlie is her official knight, Hatter is truly her knight in all the ways that matter. In addition, Alice is truly his queen. While he is her king, in reality, she is the one that will devastate everyone if she is ever checkmated.

Hatter then catches himself and starts to chuckle. Not even a week as the king of the Kingdom of the Knights and he’s thinking in chess terms. He kisses Alice softly and tells her, “I will be back Luv.”

Alice sighs and sleepily answers, “Hurry back, Hatter, please.”

Hatter gets up, looks back at her, and leans down on the bed to kiss her brow. “Always. I love you.” He pulls the blankets up on her and watches her snuggle into his pillow before her body slightly relaxes enough to let her sleep again.

Hatter walks out of the bedroom and moves to the outer rooms. He then sits down heavily on the same couch that Alice had come to her conclusion the night before.

He knows his fa is determined to go with Alice. Moreover, will protect Alice with his life. He considers Alice his daughter and in fact, by the customs of the Outlands, when he and Alice became bonded, their family gained the others. Wonderland, in general, has adopted this tradition, but he knows that to his fa, Alice is truly his daughter. He will in fact fight or do whatever is needed to protect her, even against Hatter, his son. Hatter could not find someone more dedicated to keeping Alice alive besides himself, but Hatter has not left Alice’s side since they formed their Bond. Even the thought of being apart from Alice fills him with pain. How are the two of them going to survive?

Wonderland watches Hatter and sees Alice’s pain. She knows this will be hard on her champions, but it is needed. If the Oysters that don’t want to be here anymore don’t leave, there are going to be dire consequences. Alice needs to be there to make sure those that want to leave can, while the Oysters who want to stay, become Wonderlanders. The Oysters will trust her, one they believe to be their own.

Wonderland needs them also. The Rabbit Holes are no longer enough to bring newcomers to her anymore. The Looking Glass had helped when it was under the control of the Knights, even then it was meant to be under the control of Hatter and Alice later. However, the Queen of Hearts had disrupted Wonderland by bringing too many outsiders in. Wonderland couldn’t handle it, each of them is a loss of magic as she tries to make them believe. She shut down. She had started to awaken again when Alice came through but was still deeply asleep until the Kingdom of the Knights had recognized Hatter. Her youngest had woken her up, and when she looked at why she was happy to see Alice and Hatter together.

Since then, Wonderland finished waking up, becoming fully awake when Alice confronted the Queen of Hearts and investing her and Hatter with the powers that they will need. She worked with her daughter to crown them and then to rebuild the Kingdom. However, now all their chances belonged in these two’s hands. The Kingdom of the Knights and Wonderland had exhausted a lot of their power bringing the Kingdom back to its glory. It was needed, though; too much is to happen and soon. Wonderland also needs to work to bring back the lands and Kingdoms to their former power. She will need Alice and Hatter to accomplish the tasks given to them for her to bring all this to reality.

 Alice wakes in the bedroom, feeling Hatter’s despair. She gets up quickly, moving through their rooms to find him on the couch holding his head in his hands. She sinks in front of him, shocked at the sight of Hatter looking so dejected. “I am sorry, Hatter. I won’t go if it will hurt you this much. Someone else can get my mom.” She cannot take her Hatter being like this. This is not the man she fell in love with, and if he is feeling this way before she leaves, what will he be like when she is in her world?

Hatter looks up at his Alice and asks her bluntly, “Will she come here for anything less than you asking her in person?”

Alice blinks and answers him truthfully, “I am not sure. But Hatter, you-”

Hatter closes his eyes and tells her, “We will survive. You are coming back to me, not leaving me to live permanently in your world. No matter what anyone will do, destroy the Looking Glass, block every Rabbit Hole, you _will_ come back to me. I cannot think of anything else.”

Alice’s eyes sting with her tears as she watches her Mate work to control himself. His markings are coming out, but not like before when they showed his anger. No, these showed his utter despair. He understands why she needs to go but is so scared and worried about losing her.

Before she can tell him that she will stay, that nothing is more important to her than he is, Hatter grabs her and crushes her to him. He murmurs to her, “I am so sorry, Alice. I am soo so sorry. I cannot help it. I _will_ go Mad if anything happens to you. You are my life, my soul, my Mate. I am so sorry to have you feel this.” He wishes he knew why he feels so awful. He is also feeling ashamed that he cannot handle this better and not push his feelings on his mate.

Alice closes her eyes and then explains to him, “Hatter, nothing matters more to me than you. If this is going to hurt you this much, there has to be another way.”

Hatter closes his eyes and tells her, “We can do this; you need to get your mum here.”

 

There is a knock on the door and the two reluctantly part. Hatter jumps up, pulling Alice to the couch then answers the door. He is shocked to see a man who looks familiar to him, but he can’t place him.  Then as recognition dawns on him, Hatter’s eyes widen. “Fa?”

Alice looks up at the shock traveling down the bond. She moves to Hatter’s side and smiles. “Tarrant, if this is your attempt to blend in; you would be as bad as Hatter at blending in my world.”

Tarrant looks down at himself. Alice K had welcomed her husband and Mate and made it clear that while she loved him as he was, this is not a bad version either. “I am sorry, Alice, I thought with what Carpenter and Mirana had advised that I would blend better looking like this.”

Hatter just stares at his father completely shell shocked. He soon finds himself missing his fa’s eyes.  They are truly the windows to his soul.

Alice puts her hand on her mate to soothe him as she answers her father, “You and Hatter would have the same problem, Tarrant. You are both way too good looking for my imperfect world.”

While Alice is speaking with Tarrant, Hatter snaps to. He realized that his fa was still very present in the man in front of him. He smiles as he hears the compliment and replies to his mate, “Well, we may then be able to take some of the looks off of you, Luv.”

Tarrant is watching his son and his daughter. He knows his son well and knows he is stressing about the separation that is coming. His Alice, Mirana, Chessur, and Absolem had discussed it. And had called upon Carpenter to give his input… Carpenter had advised that, while Tarrant looked like an ordinary person in his world, there would probably need to be some proof for Carol to believe in Wonderland. Mirana had given Tarrant a potion to revert to his usual self and then change back to this disguise. Absolem and Chessur, as well as Nivens, are all on standby if something should happen to the Looking Glass. As far as Tarrant can control, he has made sure this will be a quick mission to the world Above.

Hatter realizes that his father’s presence means there is no more time. He steels himself and concentrates on how much he loves Alice and to send that to her.

Alice feels Hatter’s emotions, and she turns back to him. Then she frowns and asks, “Has anyone gathered the Oysters and told Jack?”

 

Chessur appears slowly, grinning; he is sticking close to Alice. No matter what others think, he is going. However, he wants no one to know he is going; he seeks to be the hidden ace. “Luv, Jack is sworn to the Crown of Wonderland. Since Mirana is sharing that with you and Hatter, Jack needs to listen to you. But since I knew you and Hatter wanted to get this over as quickly as possible, I spoke with everyone this morning.”

Tarrant shakes his head at Chessur. He knows there is something up with his old friend. Nevertheless, he also knows Chess is protective of these two. Therefore, he keeps his mouth silent; glad for once his eyes won’t give him away so quickly. Mirana has warned him that his eyes will still change color, but it will be less noticeable. The markings though will appear, they will make their appearance as his sons did, as a black liner around the eyes. They will mirror his sons when he gets upset, but there will be no hiding them, they are part of the magic that makes up him and his son.

* * *

Alice sighs, knowing her departure can’t be delayed anymore while not wanting to let go of Hatter until the last possible second, asks Chessur, “Can you take _all_ of us there after we get ready?”

Chessur nods sadly. He and Tarrant leave the two alone.

Alice feels Hatter grab her and crush her to him. “I love you, Alice. Please let me come with you.”

Closing her eyes, she tells him, “I want you to. But can you?  Knowing something is coming, can we leave our friends to handle it without either of us here?”

Hatter clenches his fists and walks away from her. He’s emotional and is trying to control it. He finally admits, “You’re right. But. _I … DO…. NOT….LIKE… THIS!_ You belong with me, Alice. I belong _with_  you. I will follow you down to hell itself to be by your side. I cannot explain how I feel.  But it feels as if when you leave, something will happen, and it worries me, Alice.”

Alice watches him, thinking. She then calls aloud, “Absolem.”

Absolem comes to her call and seeing how upset David is, lands on his shoulder instead of hers. He looks up at David and asks, “Silly boy, why are you stressing Alice out? By going this early, she is actually preventing what is making you feel this way.”

Hatter looks at Absolem in shock. Absolem takes the quiet and explains to him, “Stupid boy, you need to be thinking of ways to not show that she is gone, instead of working yourself into Madness when she leaves.”

Hatter thinks on what Absolem said and sighs. “I know Absolem. I hate that I can’t stop doing this, what is wrong with me?”

Absolem’s head frowns. Now that David has said something, Absolem realizes this is _not_ normal for the man he knows. He asks David seriously, “What are you feeling?”

Alice answers for him in a shocked voice, “Anxious, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like the whole world is resting on your shoulders. There is something coming. There is something wrong.”

Hatter and Alice’s eyes lock. That’s it. That’s what they both are feeling, though Hatter stronger than Alice. Some of it is due to his own feelings on what is to come, after hearing how his fa was when his mum is Above. But so much more is due to something…else.

Absolem looks at both of them and asks, “When did this start?”

Hatter is still staring in Alice’s blue eyes when he absently answers, “Since we entered the Kingdom.  I’ve had a feeling that someone was watching us. I still have that feeling, but I also feel as Alice said.  There is something coming, and we need to be together to face it. Otherwise…”

Absolem stares at the two of them in shock and tries to get him to clarify, “Otherwise, what David?”

Alice answers softly, “Otherwise it will be as if we never existed. What’s going on?”

Absolem sits there stunned. He finally tells them both, “You need to be together to face this, yes. But you two shouldn’t know that!”

Alice finally turns and pins down Absolem with a look. Someone or something is messing with them.  Alice looks back to Hatter and tells him softly, “I do not like this. Something is wrong, and you know my feelings on being destined to do anything.”

Hatter nods and he tells her, “Go quickly, Luv. If you are not back by morning, I’ll come after you.”

Alice smiles, remembering when she had told him the same thing. She nods and then turns her attention to Absolem. “You and I will be talking soon, Absolem. You’re lucky that I have a time limit.”

Absolem nods and tells her softly, “You weren’t to know since it is not something to be talked about.  Be careful. Call me and I will hear even in that world.” Alice nods and walks away, turning back only when Absolem calls out to her, “Be careful. You’re not just taking David’s heart with you.”

* * *

Hatter watches her leave and then turns his head to stare at Absolem. “Out with it. This is why I am letting her go without me watching her last steps from this world.” His markings darken with his controlled anger. He knows Alice will feel it, but hopefully his fa and her sense of how he must be working to control himself will diminish it.

When Alice sends a wordless question through the bond, he sends reassurance that he loves her and is not angry with her. When the question comes again, he realizes she is worried something is happening and sends his assurance he is fine and reinforces his love for her. Then he turns and stares at Absolem.  He _will_ have answers from the Guardian.

Absolem stares at the king, for that is what Hatter is acting like now, and tells him, “Wonderland knows there is something wrong, and something is coming. She exhausted herself and this Kingdom to let you be at least physically on the same level as the other Kingdoms. David, everyone is feeling this, not just you and Alice. You two are more attuned to it since you have such a strong Bond with each other and with the Kingdom of the Knights. I suspect it is because to both of you, the love you have for each other knows no bounds. The Kingdom is accepting of this and encourages it. So you allow a stronger land bond than most since there is never going to be a conflict. The Kingdom and Wonderland accept that you both will kill for the other, and they will do what it takes to keep each of you safe.”

Absolem laughs, “In fact, they both are working to keep you both together.  I have never seen anything like it, David.”

Hatter looks at Absolem as he thinks. He frowns then asks, “I know I received a promise from Wonderland that she will do all she can to keep Alice and me together. She keeps repeating that Alice’s and Hatter’s belong to each other. As much as Alice’s and Chesire cats do.”

Absolem thinks on this. “David, what is going on? The last time Wonderland was this active was when Oberon and Tatiana were the rulers.”

Hatter and Absolem stare at each other, completely stumped.

* * *

Alice walks out of the room and is enveloped in her father’s arms and feels Chess’s comforting weight on her shoulders.

Tarrant holds his daughter to him and tells her softly, “The faster we do this, the sooner we will be back where we belong.” When he feels her nod, he looks Chess in the eyes.  He knows Chess is coming with them. There’s not much that gets past the first Champion of Wonderland.

Chess takes them to the Looking Glass Hall then turns himself invisible when they arrive. He tells them both, “Make no mention of me. I will be here.”

Alice nods, acknowledging the wisdom of having a secret like Chess on their side. She steps away from Tarrant, needing to show her strength. While the Bond is still there, she suddenly can feel Hatter’s anger surging through it. She stops.

Tarrant looks at her, worrying that the separation is already too much. “Alice?”

Alice looks at her father and bluntly says, “Hatter is infuriated.” She closes her eyes to concentrate on finding out what is wrong with her mate. She receives his love the first time, then when she resends the feeling again, she is reassured that he is fine and that he loves her and misses her. He needs his anger to deal with something.

Alice looks up at Tarrant and tells him, “He’s fine, but, as I said, angry.”

Tarrant stares and says her gently, “Alice, your Bond should be hurting you both right now. But you are acting as though he is in another room. You two are closer than anyone I have heard about, even closer than Alice and I and our separation right now is painful.”

Alice turns and seeing everyone still walking in the room; she answers him, “It hurts some, but I feel his love for me as always. I also know he is alive. Tarrant, I went through a time that I thought he was dead, by my actions. Nothing will hurt as bad as that. At least not in this world. To be honest, I am scared stiff what will happen when I step through the Looking Glass.”

 

Before either can say anything, Jack walks briskly into the room. He stops and stares at Alice. He quickly controls himself, moving forward to greet her.

Tarrant had actually growled at the look Jack gave Alice. When Jack walks over to greet Alice, he steps in front of her and tells the kingling, “Ye be lucky me son is not ‘ere to han’ ye yer guddler’s scut to ye on a platter.” His eyes flash at Jack and, seeing the Mad Hatter in front of him, the younger man stumbles back.

Alice is working to control her anger. Hatter had warned this man away from her. Nevertheless, Jack cannot seem to control himself. She finally gets her feelings under control and prays Hatter had been distracted. She then asks Jack, “You didn’t think I would come without a member of my family with me?”

Jack stares at her, and she relents enough to tell him, “Jack, I love Hatter. All you are doing is jeopardizing your Kingdom by not letting your obsession with me end. I’m not interested in you in that manner nor will I ever be interested in you as more than a friend. And even that is barely there since you are most inclined to test our patience!” Alice is a little shocked at the phrasing coming from her, but it fit.

Jack stares at her and then sighs. “Alice. I cannot explain how I feel. I love the Duchess, but I feel compelled to be with you.”

 

Alice looks at him and tells him in a flat tone, “It is called guilt, Jack. You lied to me. Treated me horribly. And you have no idea what you did wrong. You need to find your emotions. I think you are as bad as most in Salazum Grum and forgotten what it feels like to feel your own emotions. Think and work on this Jack. I believe that you will need to figure this out to handle what’s coming.” With that, Alice turns her back on him and faces her fathers.

Carpenter had joined Alice while she was facing down the King of Hearts. Between himself and Mirana, they have healed most of the Oysters. He works for the Hearts still, acknowledging his debt to the poor Oysters as they are called now. He also realizes after speaking with Mirana, that if Carol came back to him, Alice and Hatter would have family in all of the Kingdoms. She didn’t flat out tell him, but he realizes that is important.

Alice flies into her father’s arms and tells him, “I love you, Daddy. I’ll try to bring Mom back.”

Tarrant watches Alice with Carpenter. He is leery of the man. While he is Alice’s father, there is something that feels…wrong about him.

Tarrant finally gently touches Alice’s arm and says to her, “You need to put the Stone of Wonderland in the receptacle. It will recharge the Looking Glass while we take care of other business.”

Jack finally speaks up, “The Stone of Wonderland has been in my family’s possession-”

Tarrant speaks up quickly and archly asks Jack, “It and the Glass belong to the Kingdom of the Knights.  Are you suggesting that Alice gives you her engagement ring?”

Jack sputters to a stop and asks, “Engagement Ring?”

Alice watches him and answers, “Yes, engagement ring. The Stone of Wonderland belongs to Alice Kingsleigh. She gave it and the Kingdom to Hatter. He is my Mate and fiancé. Jack, this is more than enough, I will not give up the ring.” Alice has determined that the Stone of Wonderland stay with her since it seems to affect people as the One Ring did to the inhabitants of Middle Earth. The only ones that seem immune to it are Hatter and herself. For that reason alone she will keep it out of other people’s hands. Also, this way the Looking Glass cannot be used without them knowing about it.

With that in mind, she asks Tarrant, “How long will the Stone need to be in there? I don’t want the Looking Glass being active without me here.”

Tarrant smiles at her and tells her, “I will keep an eye on it. Wonderland will let me know.”

Alice nods, accepting his word, turning to the people in the room. She raises her voice, “Excuse me.”

The crowd turns to face her, many recognizing the woman who had freed them. They have heard the story about how she and the other man who had helped her, have become married in a fashion, and that she is now queen of her own kingdom with the same man.

As Alice smiles at the other Oysters, she tells them, “You have a choice. You can go back to the world Above, as the Wonderlanders call our world, or you can stay here. If you stay here, you will need to accept Wonderland. If you cannot do that, you will remain Oysters and eventually will have a need to go home. If you wish to return, we will help you return to the time you left, but you will not be able to return here afterward. If you have any questions, please come forward.”

One woman steps forward and asks, “Milady, or whatever I should call you, what if we want to stay, but have family in the other world?”

Alice frowns and absently tells her, “You can call me, Alice.” She then sighs and softly asks Chess to bring Hatter. She needs him; she is not sure her instincts are correct. She needs his intuitive nature in regards to Wonderland.

She feels the weight leave her shoulders and then return. Then Hatter appears in the room with Absolem on his shoulder.

 

Hatter looks around to see what is going on. Once he is done assessing the place, he moves to her side immediately and looks down at her, needing the sight of her face to calm him, eyebrow raised questioning why she needs him.

The people in the room can see the love that these two have for each other. Hatter did nothing more than look down at her and she up to him, but there is no mistaking the love passing through them for each other.

After Hatter makes sure she is fine, he leans down and tells her softly, “We will talk about what had made you so angry, Luv. Though I have a pretty good suspicion.” He had seen Jack in the room when he did his glance.

Alice looks up at him and replies just as softly, “I took care of it, this time, Hatter. If that didn’t solve it, then we will settle this.” She stares up at him seeing if he can accept it.

Hatter grins at her and putting an arm around her; he turns to face the Oysters as well as everyone else in the room. He asks, “’Ello. I know I was called here in regards to a question proposed to me, Alice.  What is the question, please?” The woman sighs to herself; he _sure is handsome!_ and asks again, “I was just wondering if we want to stay, what about our families?”

Hatter frowns and looks down at his mate.  “What are your thoughts, Alice?”

Alice leans into him and answers, “My instinct says to allow them back, but they only have as long as it takes for my jaunt into the world Above.”

Hatter nods, absently kisses her head as he ponders the pros and cons. He holds her to him, needing the contact with her after what he has learned from Absolem. He finally asks her quietly, “Alice, are you sure you can allow that?”

Alice sighs and asks him, “Hatter, what can actually happen? Does the tattoo fade away?”

Hatter looks down and frowns. Carpenter, Tarrant, and Jack are all standing close, watching the Bonded pair. Carpenter speaks up, keeping his voice as soft as theirs, “The tattoo fades if they believe in Wonderland, or they go back to Above. They will have no physical proof, Jelly Bean.”

Hatter relaxes, and Alice sends her agreement at the same time.  He turns to the lady and asks her name.

She smiles and answers, “Betty.”

Hatter grins at her, flashing his dimples, and tells her in that slightly higher tone he uses with strangers, “Betty, Alice here is traveling in the world Above with me family. Once she accomplishes her task or the following morning, the Looking Glass will be closed. If you do not make it back in that time, you will not be allowed to return to Wonderland.” As he finishes speaking, he is watching the rest of the crowd. They all look thoughtful. He thinks of his fa and Alice in the world Above, and reminds them all, “You will be sent back to the time you were taken from that world. If you have a thought to hold Alice hostage, it will do no good. Either it will not make a difference, or if you manage to do it, you will need to deal with me.” This last is said in a flat voice that leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind that this is a threat. A lot of them look up at him and see the markings spreading from around his eyes.

Hatter is in full control, but anything threatening Alice, especially right now, will get no compassion.

Hatter holds his mate closer and the markings slowly fade back. Tarrant steps closer to his son. He lays a hand on him, doing nothing more than supporting him. Hatter nods and calms even more before he sends a nudge to Alice. He has frightened the Oysters, but he doesn’t want to calm their fears, afraid that would dilute his threat. That’s Alice’s job.

Alice turns, sending her love and need for Hatter to continue to hold her through their bond, and smiles, feeling his love and need come back as his arm wraps tighter around her waist. His other is loosely there, but if something happens, he can draw his sword and be able to push her behind him. She smiles remembering all the times he had held her hand with probably the same intentions.

Looking out at the crowd and thinking of Hatter’s comments, she advises the Oysters, “Please come and tell us your decision. If you have any other questions, we will answer them.”

Betty walks up to them and smiles. Hatter smiles back at her, noticing her Glow is almost gone, she is about to become a Wonderlander either way. She tells the two rulers, “I want to bring my children here, but I’ve noticed there are few kids. Will this be ok?”

Alice and Hatter both feel Wonderland’s glee and grin. Hatter answers her, “It will be more than ok.  And we offer our Kingdom for your residence. It is entirely up to you, but there are pluses to each Kingdom, and you are welcome to choose which you want to live in.”

Alice glances back at Tarrant, and he nods to her. “Betty, why don’t you go ahead and get a head start.  Tarrant here will escort you to the Looking Glass and advise you of what you need to know to get back.” She watches Tarrant take her to the side.

Hatter and Alice deal with everyone. Jack also helps, working with some of the people. He is quite good at it, remembering his time in the world Above, but he is the one that has the most interesting issue. The children that had goaded Alice into action want to stay.

Alice looks up at Hatter, lost. She then drops down to their level and asks them, “What about your families?”

Angela shyly smiles at the pretty lady in front of her and answers, “We are orphans, and we were on the way home from school to our foster home. They were only scheduled to be our foster home until the end of next month. Can we please stay here?”

Hatter looks down at them then glances at his fa. Tarrant nods slightly, Alice K and Tarrant will take them in if Mirana doesn’t first.

Dropping down to their level, Hatter says to them both, “You are both welcome to stay here. My fa and mum will take you home after Alice’s errand. If my aunt doesn’t mind, you will live with them in a castle, if not, you can either come live with Alice and I or whomever you would like. Does this sound okay?”

Angela and her little sister Aurora smile and fling themselves into Alice’s and Hatter’s arms. Hatter wraps his arms around his mate and these precious children. He would take care of them, but he has a sneaking suspicion that he and Alice will become their uncle and aunt instead. Mirana will take to them with no issues.

As the room clears, Alice and Hatter can feel the impending separation. When it is clear that it is time for Alice to leave, Hatter turns to her and pulls her into his arms. He murmurs to her softly, “I love you, Alice. Come back to me. And if you are not back by morning, nothing will stop me from coming after you. _Nothing._ ”

Alice nods and then tells Absolem, “Take him home.”

Before Hatter can protest, Absolem takes them both back to the palace.

Alice stands there, her tears falling down her face. She then turns to Tarrant. “Is everything ready?”

Tarrant nods, walks over to the receptacle for the Stone of Wonderland and removes it. He hands it back to his daughter and watches as she puts it back on.

 Jack watches all of this quietly. What he just saw showed him that he has no chance with Alice. He will put his feelings aside; there is no way he can ever even hold a candle to Hatter’s devotion and love for Alice.

Alice sighs and feels Chess’s weight settle on her shoulders again. She does not know where he went during that time they were working with the Oysters, but she welcomes him back silently.

Tarrant leads his daughter to the Looking Glass, telling her to take a deep breath and step forward. She does so and steps through the Looking Glass. Tarrant follows closely behind her.

* * *

Back in the Kingdom of the Knights, Hatter falls to his knees. The Bond is stretched so thin; he feels like his soul has been ripped in half and is hanging by a string. Not able to hold it in, Hatter screams.

His mum is in another room; she had bowed her head and sent her love to her husband and Mate. She gets up, swaying slightly. Once she can walk, she moves to help her son.

* * *

Alice gasps as she exits the Looking Glass. She trips and would have fallen if Tarrant had not caught her as he exited the Looking Glass. His face is tight, but other than that, there is nothing showing of the anguish he is feeling from the bond with his Alice now stretched thin.

Alice grasps her middle, wrapping her arms around herself as though she is trying to hold herself together. Tarrant pulls his daughter to him. He soothes her as she sobs. “Alice, shhh. Calm down. He is waiting for you on the other side of the glass. Chess will make sure we will be able to get back to Wonderland.”

Trying to calm down, Alice tells Tarrant, “I just didn’t expect it to feel like that. How did you survive this the first time?”

Tarrant sighs and tells her softly, “I nearly didn’t. Alice had less trouble, but I…”

Chess purrs trying to help and says softly, “Tarrant is a fool and admitted the Bond to himself. He put himself through torture.”

Tarrant closes his eyes remembering. He replies, “But it helped her, Chess. Not only in our separation, but it helped her defeat the Jabberwocky.”

Alice looks up at her father and tells him, “You have to be the bravest person I know of.”

Tarrant smiles down at her and asks, “Can we get moving? I would really like to get this over with.”

Alice nods. It still hurt, but the bond is still there. As they move through the warehouse, Alice asks, “Is the Glass safe here?”

Tarrant nods. “It is magical and will make sure of its safety. The only thing that can destroy it is you and Hatter.”

Alice stops and looks at Tarrant in shock, “Hatter, and I can destroy the Looking Glass?”

Tarrant nods, taking her elbow to help them keep moving through the maze. “You have the Stone of Wonderland. You are the ones destined to control the two items.” He shrugs. “It makes sense if you think about it.”

Alice chuckles as they exit the warehouse. She leads the way to her flat. As they enter the building, she takes a deep breath. She opens the door and lets them into her old home.

Carol hears her daughter come in, and she asks, “Did you find Jack, sweetie?”

Not hearing an answer right away, she walks out and stops in shock. Her daughter is standing there in different clothes than what she had left in just 10 minutes ago. She also looks different, in pain, but more settled. Next to her is an older gentleman standing close to her. He has reddish brown hair and hazel eyes. He lays a gentle hand on Alice’s arm, and when she looks up at him, he indicates Carol.

Alice turns and sees her mom. She smiles and runs towards her. “Mom!” She pulls her into a hug. She has missed her mother dearly.

Carol hugs her back, shocked. She finally says, “Good heavens Alice, you have been gone only five minutes! Who is this, what happened to your clothes and you?”

Alice pulls back and stares at her mom. Then Carol sees the ring on Alice’s hand, and she smiles. “Are you going to accept Jack’s suit?”

Alice and Tarrant blanch. Alice closes her eyes and tells her mom, “Mom, we need to talk. It may have been 5 minutes to you, but it has been a little more than a week for me.” Then Alice pauses and says to herself.  “Little more than a week. So little time for so much.”

Tarrant can’t help himself, and he laughs. He manages not to giggle at the last second. However, Alice’s statement is so true. In about a week’s time, his son fell in love, then Bonded to the woman beside him. They overthrew the Queen of Hearts and then became rulers themselves. His son came back bringing him a daughter that he loves very much.

Carol is not sure of the strange man by Alice’s side. She feels a strange familiarity with him, but she knows she has never seen him before. And her daughter, who normally is not a trusting person, is completely relaxed in his presence.

Alice watches her mom stare at Tarrant and sighs. “Mom, please let’s sit down and I will explain as much as I can. And what I can’t, Tarrant will.” Alice has no idea how she will explain this. The deadline given to her by Hatter is also on her mind, as is the pain she knows he must be in. She wants to curl in on herself and cry. The Bond is there, but nowhere as strong it normally is. It’s as if it is a whisper of a dream of love. She still loves Hatter. There is no doubt about that. What is missing is the constant presence of him; knowing he is there, where he is, feeling him. That is what is missing plus something even more basic. With the Bond in place, she is whole. That’s the best explanation; Hatter is her other half in every way.

Tarrant watches his daughter and finally tells her, “Alice, I promise you it will be ok. Once we are back, you will feel it again. Trust me.” He doesn’t want to give too much away, but he can see Alice slowly giving in to the despair. He knows from personal experience, if she does that, it will be a tough journey. Since she and Hatter are Bonded, he is not sure what would happen to the other. His mate is working with Hatter with the same goal. They will not lose their son and daughter to this.

Carol watches the interaction between Tarrant and her daughter. She does not trust this man, but there is no mistaking the care he is expressing for Alice. Finally sitting down, Carol waits for her daughter to continue.

Alice feels Chess nuzzle her, and he tells her so softly she can barely hear him, “I am here, Alice. I will lose neither David nor you to the Bond separation. I will return you immediately to David if I think you are about to lose it, no matter if Tarrant is touching you or not.” Alice relaxes a little more.

She looks up at her mother and starts her story, “Like I said, it’s been more than a week…”

* * *

Hatter looks up at his mum. “She’s gone.”

Alice K. looks down at her son and gently tells him, “Alice will be back. You know she loves you.”  She is keeping her own tears to herself while watching her son fall apart in front of her.

Absolem is on Hatter’s shoulder, not having moved since he brought Hatter back per Alice’s request.  He knew as soon as they were gone, Alice would leave. But hearing Hatter after the shock of the Bond stretching almost to the breaking point and  him brought physically to his knees will stay in his memories.

Now he tries to calm the King of the Knights down. “Alice has Chess and Tarrant with her. Chess will bring her back no matter what. But Hatter, concentrate on your Bond. Alice and you have an unusually strong bond. It is still there.”

Hatter stares at Absolem as he tries to do what he has suggested. He needs this. His biggest fear is to lose Alice. He will do whatever it takes for her to be safe and with him. He soon finds what Absolem is speaking about. He feels a whisper of their Bond hidden in his mind and heart. Hatter closes his eyes in relief.

Alice K. watches her son and gives up the minuscule hope that he will be her little boy again. She knew it would never happen, but there is always a chance. Watching him now, she doesn’t want that chance,  not if he had to deal with this pain.

Her namesake is nothing to be upset about. She has started to come to her roles on her own and she is a strong woman, even if she does not see it herself. As Tarrant will say, she has a lot of muchness to her.

Hatter stands up. He needs to be seen, to make sure that the dread he feels about Alice being gone doesn’t become a reality. Hatter holds his arm out for his mum to take.

Alice K. looks at it and then at her dandy of a son. “Hatter, if you leave here in those clothes, anyone who knows you will know there is something wrong. You’re wearing the same clothes.”

Hatter smiles at his mum, but none of his dimples show. He tells her, “I spent days in the same clothes with Alice. But I will change if it makes you feel better.” He turns and moves to his and Alice’s private chambers.

Alice K. sits down and rests her head in her hands. This is hard, but Tarrant had been adamant, the two of them with all their friends need to keep Alice and Hatter from despair. If they fall into it, especially Hatter, it will be hard to overcome. Moreover, since the two of them are so strongly Bonded, it may reach between the worlds to drive the other to the same state.

However, Alice K. is feeling the separation also. She wants her husband here with her.

Hatter comes out of their rooms wearing a pair of black slacks, with a dark blue shirt and cream tie; simple, but still an effective way to use their colors. He doesn’t really care that much, this is passing time to make Alice be safe for her return.

When he moves to his mum and offers his arm to her again, she rises from the couch and takes it. They move out of the rooms.

Charlie and Santi are conversing quietly in the main hall. They both look up to see Hatter moving towards them with his mum on his arm. They glance at each other, nodding at what they see, then move towards the king and champion.

Santi reaches Hatter and Alice K. first. After giving a minor bow, he says, “There is not much to do right now, Hatter. But if you are up to it, we need to discuss logistics and where to put everyone.”

Hatter looks at Santi and tells him softly, “That will need to be done later. Alice is unavailable right now, and she would be the best to consult with about that. How many people do we have in the Kingdom, and what are their roles? How are they being fed? We need to get away from relying on the Kingdom and Wonderland and start supporting ourselves.”

This is the hardest thing Hatter has done, but he will do this and more if it means Alice is safe.

* * *

Fairfarren ~


	13. When They Come For Me

 

_Song I listened to for this chapter: When They Come for Me by Linkin Park_

* * *

 [](http://i0.wp.com/kittyinaz.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/dodos-office-with-dodo-and-owl.jpg)

It’s funny how people always overlook those that put their lives on the line every day for thousands of years for freedom. They all remember the Oyster named Alice that stood up to the Queen. However, those that kept the Great Library hidden and offered a place for the refugees to stay out of the Queen’s power? Nobody has even said thank you. Or, at least that’s one way to look at what has happened.  And, as everyone knows there is more than one view of every event. 

Dodo growls to himself. He happens to be one of those that is not thinking straight. His dislike of Hatter had blossomed into hate after he and that Oyster had taken away the chance for Dodo to right what is wrong with his world. Dodo does _try_ to do right by Wonderland. He knows his world is hurting and all he can understand is that the Oysters are the one doing the damage thanks to the Queen of Hearts.

However, to his mind, everything is either black or white. If the Oysters were causing harm to his beloved world, then the Oysters must go. It doesn’t matter if Wonderland needs them, either they can be here, or gone. Either Hatter works for the Hearts or he is a Resistance member. Only the fact that they needed the food Hatter got for them made it possible for Dodo to stomach the man.

Today, Dodo is in a mood worse than any other time since he started to try to protect his world. Duck and Owl have long since given up placating him and scurried away to hide in the stacks days ago. Even there, everyone can hear him ranting and raving over the injustice of Hatter and Alice being called the “Heroes of Wonderland”. In addition, for them to be named the Champions of Wonderland as well? That was insult to injury. No one has risked his ire to tell him about the two of them being Bonded _and_ named King and Queen of the Kingdom of Knights. No one was that stupid.

At least that’s what they thought, hoped. However, one brave soul let it slip that Hatter was King, and now he’s lucky to be alive. Currently he is on his way to the new kingdom in hopes that Dodo’s arm couldn’t reach him there. He will throw himself on the mercy of Queen Alice if need be. She took the Ten of Clubs; maybe she’d take him too.

In his office, Dodo is seething in his chair, unable to contain the rage this new piece of information instills. Now, everyone is a bit mad in Wonderland, you have to be to survive the world. However, Dodo is really starting to lose it. He starts raving in his chair, “Hatter, who couldn’t ever do anything more than risk himself to feed the rabble, is now a King? I don’t really care who his parents are, or what he has supposedly done. He is a rat who played both sides.” There is no one there to hear Dodo rant.

Or at least that is what Dodo thinks. A knock sounds on his door. It opens before he could even say anything; a tall person comes in. The stranger is hidden from view in a concealing black cloak.

Standing up, Dodo grabs his pistol from his back. He demands of the stranger, “Who are you and why are you here?”

The cloaked figure stands there, not moving. After a couple of minutes, that have Dodo fidgeting and his finger slowly tightening on the trigger, the figure deigns to answer him. “I am the one who can help you get revenge.”

Dodo pauses, _this sounds interesting_. Curious as to what this stranger could offer him, he cautiously asks, “Revenge against what?”

The shrouded person studies Dodo. He’s not happy with whom he has to work with, but they have to start somewhere. No one else is quite in position to begin, but this opportunity is not one to pass by. To have the new Champions of Wonderland separated, in different worlds – nothing can be more crippling to either. So, they are moving a little early. It is pure luck that Dodo and his hatred of Alice and Hatter was even remembered. This, hopefully, is something they can work with.

Finally, the hidden visitor speaks to Dodo. “Hatter. Are you interested, or do you want to stay here ranting and raving against him instead?”

Dodo straightens in anger as he spits out, “I’m listening…”

The taller of the only two men in the room starts talking and Dodo takes in every word. When the plan is laid out, Dodo grins. This will be perfect and will also make Wonderland safe from the Oysters.

It seems that the underbelly of Wonderland is getting sicker.

* * *

Alice and Tarrant finish with their explanation to Carol. She just stares at the two of them. This is just too much to take in. Alice has been to another world, fallen in love, and gotten engaged. And, the man she is engaged to is the son of the man with Alice. To top it all off, the two are Bonded. She’s not sure what that means, but by the way they both acted, it’s something huge.

Moreover, Carol cannot forget the claims that Alice is now a Queen. Her fiancé is the son of a Queen, and she and Tarrant have passed their rule onto him and Alice. Carol thought they would have to be married for this, but Tarrant assured her that this Bonding thing is similar to marriage. Bonding is just more than the concept of marriage, so much more, literally binding on both Alice and Hatter for the rest of their lives. Alice had smiled as she thought of her mate. Carol saw this and marveled that her daughter is able to trust a man this much. She would have thought that the only thing Alice could have accepted to be this happy would be the ability to know the person inside and out.

Tarrant also told Carol, that even without the Bonding Alice would still be Queen. Wonderland quite simply wanted her to be.

That was the next to last shock to Carol. Her father’s stories were real. There really is a Wonderland.  And not only are the stories true, but her father was from there. Wonderland is alive. It even wants Alice to be queen. If this Hatter person didn’t love her or wasn’t bonded to her, it seems Wonderland would have simply made a new kingdom for her.

The one piece of information that has Carol completely reeling, sitting there staring at her daughter and Alice’s future father in law, is that Robert is alive and is from Wonderland. He was kidnapped, his memories stripped from him, but thanks to Alice and her fiancé, he is now fully functional and remembers everything. He is back in their home world, waiting for Alice and herself to come to him.

Robert is a native of Wonderland. So is Carol’s father. Alice’s talents, which so worried Robert when he was here, are all from being descended from Wonderlanders. Her aptitude for chess, her knack for learning martial arts, are all from being of Wonderland descent. Now, with her believing in Wonderland, all her abilities are coming to the fore.

Worried, Alice just stares at her mother. She is feeling the pain from being separated from Hatter and waiting for her mother to take everything in is not helping. Her mother’s doubts are understandable – she’s having to absorb in a manner of minutes what Alice herself had almost a week to do – but all Alice wants to do is get back to Wonderland and her mate.

Tarrant watches Alice carefully. His own pain at being separated from his mate is beyond description.  But, he is drawing from his past and the strength from when his Alice left him. He is also being strong for his daughter. He is aware that Alice and David are in immense torture during this separation. They do need to find out if her mother wishes to come to Wonderland. He does not doubt when Alice says she will be closing the Looking Glass for a while. Tarrant remembers the separation from his son and is very happy that Alice and Hatter are trying to prevent the same emotions for Carol.

Alice finally has had enough. She looks at her mother and tells her, “Mom, I’m sorry, but I need an answer. We don’t have much time before Hatter’s deadline. I can’t explain this very well, but, believe me when I say this not only will be a mistake for Hatter to be here, but you have no idea how painful it is for me to be here. I am _only_ here to give you an explanation and a choice. I’m closing the Looking Glass. You can stay here in this world, or come to Wonderland. If you do come, you need to believe in it, or I will have to send you back .” Alice reaches out and touches her mom’s knee and says bluntly, “Mom. I need to go home.”

This finally brings Carol out of her shock. Her daughter just told her that she needs to go home. And for the first time in Alice’s life, this is not home to her. “Alice, I want to believe you, but think of what you have been telling me. Would you believe this if our roles were reversed?”

Tarrant sighs. He stands up and asks Carol, “If I show you how I normally look, will that help?”

Alice closes her eyes. “Tarrant that is unnecessary. I know you don’t really want to.” She knows how much it bothers him when others treat him differently. There’s no reason for him to have to deal with that while they are here. Not for her sake.

Looking at his daughter, he tells her, “It will help her believe.” He smiles at Alice, touched by her concern.

Before Alice could answer, a voice sounds from her that is not hers. “Oh bother, Tarrant. I will do this.”  And to Carol’s astonished eyes, Chess appears. Or to be more accurate, his head appears and his tail wrapped underneath. He looks at Carol and disappears.

Carol gasps, and jumps, when Chess appears in front of her upside down.

Grinning as only a Cheshire Cat can, he introduces himself. “Good morning. I am Chessur the Cheshire Cat.”

Tarrant can’t help but be amused by Carol’s look on her face and a giggle escapes. This causes Alice to smile slightly. Tarrant’s giggles are infectious.

Hearing his giggle, Carol shoots him an amused look. She then turns her attention back to Chess. Her hand reaches up, then drops.

Seeing this, Chess makes a decision. While to date, David and Alice are the only two he has allowed to touch him, the need for Alice to be back home, and a sense he gets from Wonderland that they need to be home _now,_ overrides his preferences. He moves under her hand to allow her to touch him.

Carol needs to touch. She always has been a sensual person, trusting her senses more than her brain.  Chess’s decision is the one that tips the scale. Petting him, she looks up at her daughter and tells her, “I’ll come with you.”

Alice nods and relaxes minutely. “Gather what you wish and we need to leave.”

When Carol opens her mouth, Tarrant steps in. “The Looking Glass will return you to this time and place. If you need something, we will get it for you, but your daughter and I need to be back in Wonderland.” Tarrant is feeling the lack of magic in this world and it makes his bones ache. He is a creature of Wonderland. Mirana’s potion is helping, but he needs to get back. This is the other reason David was not to come. He is more steeped in the magic of Wonderland than even his father. No one knows why for sure, but Tarrant suspects it is because of what he and Alice are destined to do.

Carol nods and stands up. Everyone starts preparing to leave, three of them eager to return home, one eager to start her new life with her long lost love.

* * *

Hatter is back in his and Alice’s rooms counting down the time to when she will be back. He knows that his time in Wonderland does not correspond to hers, but he wishes his mate was back where she belongs – by his side.

Hatter sighs and slowly moves to their balcony. Wonderland and the Kingdom really outdid themselves when they restored the Kingdom. His mum mentioned it is much prettier and more functional than when she had visited last.

Hatter had not been aware that she had visited before it was destroyed. Realizing this, his mother had sat down and told him the stories. The city he is in now was present when she won the Queen position.  The Knights were here as well, though not as many as there were to be later. She had frowned and told him that while she did not remember Charlie, she remembered his mentor. She has some very fond memories of him defending her. When Hatter had asked who he had defended her from, his mother had frowned and said the Red Knight. Her look clearly let her son know not to press the issue.

Hatter stares into the night. The pain of being separated from Alice is beyond description. Hatter really wishes for Alice to hurry back. He closes his eyes, and leans his head down to balustrade, trying to center himself.

As he stands there, he hears a noise that is abnormal. Remembering how nervous Absolem has been, he drops into a defensive mode. He is not taking any chances. He’s not sure what will travel on the Bond, but he does not want to worry Alice.

Before he can think anything else, he feels a sharp jab in his side as an arrow pierces him. He gasps and then turns to defend himself from his attacker. Hatter pushes the sensation away to make sure he can protect himself.

A man drops from the roof above dressed all in dark browns with green material breaking it up. The man waves something and the doors to the balcony slam shut and shimmer. The swarthy man turns to Hatter and grins crookedly. Believing this to be easy now that he has prevented any help from coming to the kingling, he plans to help himself to the Kingdom of the Knights.

As the man draws his sword, Hatter drops his hand down to his own. He has taken to wearing it at all times, and when he is unable to, he has quite a few knives on his person. Hatter has never believed in taking chances. He has a vested interest in making sure he doesn’t get hurt. Alice will feel it. And the consequences of him dying were not to be looked at too closely.

Seeing the naked sword in Hatter’s hand, the man attacks Hatter. He unleashes his skills, hoping that he will overwhelm his opponent and end this before any help can come for the kingling. Plus the poison on the arrowhead should be making it’s way through the young man in front of him.

Hatter defends himself from the attack of the assassin. Upon realizing he is facing a moderate swordsman, he quickly decides to end this. It isn’t helping that the pain from the wound on his side is getting worse, a sign that he needs to get medical attention soon. Hatter unleashes a small portion of his training to deal with the hired killer. Once he is in the position to do so, Hatter forces a series of attacks to incapacitate the man, so they can question him.

The man quickly finds himself outclassed by the young king. He is completely surprised; nothing they have on him says that he is a swordsman. Realizing that he was about to have his weapon stripped from him, he makes a snap decision. He knows what is awaiting him if he is captured. To Hatter’s shock, his opponent deliberately steps into Hatter’s sword.

Hatter swears as the man kills himself. He lets him slide off of his sword, as he curses the man to hell and back. Then the pain from the arrow wound hits him, and he sinks to his knees as his mum and guard come up beside him. The last thing he sees is his mum bending over him and Chess…

* * *

Alice, her mother, Tarrant, and Chess are almost to the Looking Glass when Alice grabs her side and drops to the ground. Tarrant is there by her side in seconds. “Alice! What is it?”

Alice opens her eyes, and shakily raises her hand that is holding her side. She fully expects to see her hand covered in blood. When it is not, she gasps, “Chess! Hatter… please?”

Chess appears and tells her, “Alice, David wanted-” Chess is very aware of what Alice is wanting him to do. Nevertheless, he also knows what will occur if anything happens to Alice and he is not here to help her.

Alice shakes her head and interrupts Chess, “Please. As soon as I can move, we will be through the Looking Glass. Stay with him until then.”

Chess nods reluctantly and evaporates.

Carol is beside her daughter, and she asks frantically, “What’s happening, Alice?”

Tarrant stares into Alice’s eyes and she into his. The markings that Hatter has around his eyes are becoming more and more prominent, as was Tarrant’s eye color. Alice can’t calm him down since she is as angry as he is.

Tarrant furiously spits out, “Wha’ happ’n, Alice?” His brogue is out in full force.

Neither hears Carol’s gasp as she sees the two of them. They are too busy trying to figure out what happened. Finally, Alice answers her father, “I think something happened to Hatter. I felt a sharp pain in my side. No, that is not right; I _feel_ a pain in my side.”

Tarrant nods, his anger and madness held back only for Alice. She needs him whole. He asks, “How et  you ‘urt, Alice?”

She thinks and tells him, holding her hand over the wound in her side, “Stabbing, in through my skin, inside me.” Then as another stab shoots through her she gasps out, “And it burns, Tarrant.”

Seething, Tarrant swears, “Slurking urpal slackush scrum.” He gets his temper under control and tells Alice and her mother, “David es been shot and poisoned.”

Alice closes her eyes. When she opens them, she tells them both, “Help me up. I need to get home and make sure Hatter is fine. Then I need to kill whomever thinks they can hurt my mate.” Her voice grows harder and fiercer as she speaks.

Tarrant nods and he jumps to his feet, then helps Alice up. Carol has risen by herself. She is confused, but can see she will not get any answers until Alice is back in Wonderland.

They move towards the Looking Glass. As they enter the warehouse, the three of them hear some odd noises. Looking at each other, Alice and Tarrant start to hurry. They have a bad feeling. As they near the Looking Glass, the noises get louder.

Carol hears something sounding like it was being thrown, and asks, “What is that noise?”

Neither Alice nor Tarrant answer as Tarrant pulls Alice behind him.  Alice is still panting from the pain in her side. Even though it is Hatter’s wound and the Bond between them is weak, she can feel the wound as though it is her own.

They round the corner and Tarrant yanks Alice down as something is hurled past their heads. Tarrant’s mind flashes to Thackery’s need to throw things, and how lucky that he is used to things being hurled at him. Then he looks to see who threw the projectile at them.

What the threesome find is surprising to say the least. There are miscellaneous objects scattered all over the place. As they watch, an armchair is tossed from the mirror.

Tarrant is trying to figure out what is happening when all of the sudden, they hear a dud sound then the Looking Glass bulges and goes back to its normal shape. He realizes what has happened about the same time as Alice.

Alice drops to her knees screaming, “No! Hatter!!” She can barely feel the Bond, it is weaker than ever. Her heart and soul are ready to break.

Carol stares at her daughter shocked. She looks over at Tarrant, trying to find an answer.

Tarrant stares at her, his eyes a grey color. He tells her, “The Looking Glass is closed.”

* * *


	14. All is Lost, But I Am Not Giving In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice and Tarrant work to get back to Wonderland, Hatter finds out what is going on.

 

_  
Song I listened to for this chapter: I Will Not Bow by Breaking Benjamin_

* * *

The Mad Hatter is angry, lost, and in severe pain. The pain is from the separation of the Bond to his soul mate, his will to live. He is lost, since he is not sure how to get he and his daughter back to Wonderland, much less Carol Hamilton.

But, more than anything else, Tarrant is angry that someone planned all of this. The fact that his son was attacked, and the Looking Glass closed after that, shows that these were premeditated actions. He is wonders if whoever did this knows that David and Alice are Bonded since the Bond will act in odd situations, always to give the couple who are Bonded an edge.

In addition, there is Wonderland herself. She has made it _very_ clear that once Alice made the decision to stay, Alice belongs to her. David _and_ Alice both do. Messing with Wonderland’s will is not done lightly. Tarrant will not be surprised to find that Wonderland herself will work to get them back.

Tarrant’s Madness is trying to take over, but he knows if he takes that path, it would at best lead to nothing. The alternative would be much worse. Tarrant grits his teeth and works to control his Madness. He thinks of his daughter and uses that to center himself.

Alice looks up at her mother, taking in her concern and worry. She closes her eyes, not wanting to get into this now. However, she can see an explanation is needed. ‘ _Hatter! What is happening with you?’_

The pain of the wound, while muted with the fading of the Bond, is still there. The additional torture of her soul being torn further apart with her forced separation from Hatter is also taking its toll.

Then something starts to bug her. She can understand that the closing of the Looking Glass further strains the Bond. However, there is something about that fact that bothers her. She needs to talk it out.  Alice winces in pain again from the wound. As she watches her father-in-law control himself, she decides explaining things to her mother is the best place to start. “Mom, the Bonding process is more than you think. From what I understand, it binds the two of us to each other; we feel each other’s emotions. And, as you can see, we can also feel the pain.” Then something clicks and she cannot wait for Tarrant anymore. She needs answers and he is the only one with the knowledge of Wonderland that she needs to put this together.

Thinking quickly, Alice asks him, “Tarrant, I didn’t feel it when Hatter was tortured.”

Tarrant answers her, grateful for the distraction, “Neither of you had acknowledged the Bond. But you probably had a sense that something was wrong.”

Alice nods, remembering the franticness of that time as she tries to think. She finally blurts, “Tarrant, I need to talk. I need to ask.” She is trying to get her thoughts together, but the need to know is causing her to not be able to form full sentences.

Staring at her quizzically, Tarrant is trying to make sense of what she is asking.

Seeing his confusion, Carol intercedes, “She needs to talk out whatever is bothering her. Robert said it was one of her talents.”

Understanding dawns on the Mad Hatter and he quickly tells her, “Please do, Alice. Talk, chat, converse, speak, discuss, natter, deliberate, consult-”

Remembering what Hatter had told her once about his father, Alice quickly touches him, while quietly saying, “Tarrant.”

“…parley, fez.” Taking a breath, Tarrant tells her, “Thank you. We need to hurry. The potion is wearing off faster than Mirana thought it would. I only have one more dose.”

Alice nods and her brain marks it as part of the problem and stores it with the other facts. She growls at herself.  Why can she not just _think_ of the answer? Why this need to talk?

Carol crouches in front of her daughter, telling her, “Alice, honey. Calm down. Talk it out and you will think of what your head has already answered. Just start at the beginning.”

Hatter’s phrase jolts her out of her anger. With the memory of them sitting at the fire in the Manor and him saying the same thing to her, has her thinking, ‘ _Hatter! What is happening to you? You better be okay!’_

Alice quickly gathers her thoughts, and looking at Tarrant she tells him, “The Bond got weaker when the Looking Glass closed. The potion is wearing off faster. But, you and I can still feel our Bonds.”

Tarrant nods and comments, “You feel the Bond more than I, Alice. The fact you felt Hatter’s wound shows that.” He is trying to help her Talent figure out what is wrong.

Alice shakes her head as she thinks. Concentrating on the problem that is insistent, she negligently tells him, “ _Feels_ , Tarrant.  I still feel his-” And just like that, it all falls into place for her. Much faster than normal, but she makes a mental note to talk with Hatter more about that later, right now she has her answers.

Alice turns to Tarrant. “I am still feeling the pain, not as bad as before, but I can feel it. The poison is still burning in my veins. The potions are still working. Our Bonds are still there. My talent is working; your eyes and skin are still reacting.”

Tarrant quickly follows her thought process, and tells her the secret of his clan, “And I am still here.  I am deeply steeped in the magic of Wonderland. David is more so, even though he is a half-blood. Without the magic, we will die.”

Alice works to add this information to her revelation. However, hearing Tarrant’s puzzlement over his son, she answers Tarrant’s statement, “He has always been bonded to Wonderland and both of his parents are part of Wonderland. Wonderland altered Alice when she came there.”

Shocked, Tarrant just stares at his daughter. What no one had figured out in centuries, she does in seconds? Her talents are working; she will be awe-inspiring when they come into full force. He cannot help but think how this will be good not only for herself and Hatter but for their kingdom and Wonderland as a whole.

Carol watches the two of them, amused at Tarrant’s reaction. Alice’s ability to solve problems has always overwhelmed her parents. Alice is quicker now, but she has steadily been getting stronger over the past years.

Alice is sitting there trying to figure out what is bothering her so much. She glances at Tarrant, thinking of how much she just _hurts_ from being away from Hatter. She can’t imagine how he dealt with this for the months it would have taken Alice to sail to China and back. Then it starts to make sense, _Alice… Tarrant…the White Rabbit…Late…Magical…Underland now is Wonderland due to Alice…_ and realizes the answer. She looks up at Tarrant and asks, “How did Alice come to Wonderland? Was it like the book says?”

Thinking back, Tarrant tells her, “I am not sure about the book, but she came down the Rabbit Holes.”  With that simple statement, understanding dawns, Tarrant breathes out, “The Rabbit Holes. But, are you where she is from, here in Aboveland?”

Shaking her head, Alice answers her father, “No. We can get to England but, I have no idea where to go from there!” She stares back at him frustrated that they are so close to the answer.

Thinking back to the stories her father wrote, Carol tries to find a solution. She knows more since he told her the stories as bedtime stories. Remembering, she tells them, “The Ascot Manor. The rabbit hole is located there. But, it closed when Alice went back.”

Grinning, Tarrant answers the two of them, “Wonderland will reopen the hole and it controls those.  The Looking Glass is built, a construct that requires the Stone of Wonderland to power it, Wonderland has very little control over it. Chess could have returned us, but he will have a hard time coming here and going back. Magic is so weak in this world.” As he is unfortunately being reminded in twinges in his bones.

Alice grows upset. She could have been home with Hatter, if she had not sent Chess to Hatter.  However, she had been concerned, and she somehow _knew_ Chess has been needed. Besides, she had wanted to bring her mother to Wonderland, not just leave Tarrant to do so.

Seeing her face, Tarrant tells her, “You did fine, Alice. Chess might be able to help save David. His evaporating skills are unparalleled in Wonderland. He will be able to remove whatever caused the wound in David’s side without any other damage. Chess can purify most poisons. You probably saved David’s life with that action.” He didn’t want to tell her Chess may have had problems taking more than her home.  Moreover, knowing about Tarrant, Chess would have told her that Tarrant needed to go home first.

Looking at her father, Alice nods. But internally she is screaming, ‘ _I could have been there with Chess healing Hatter!’_ The strain of the Bond is getting to Alice. She is feeling the need to _do_ something, anything to get back to Hatter, now.

Carol watches Alice, seeing the tension in her face. She is completely amazed by the changes that have taken place in her daughter. She knows that for Alice, a lifetime happened in the week she was in Wonderland, but to Carol it truly has only been a couple of minutes. The changes were good for her daughter; she seems to have healed from everything that happened to her in the past. She has found a place she belongs and people who obviously love her for herself.

The most obvious of this is the love she has for this Hatter. There is no question that she loves this man. Carol is actually quite looking forward to meeting the man who finally has shown Alice what love is all about.

However, for now, they need to get Alice home to her Hatter. Carol gently tells her daughter, “Let’s go back to our apartment, and I will see what I can do.”

Alice glances at her mom. Then a thought occurs to her, “Tarrant doesn’t have a passport!”

Tarrant clears his throat, correcting Alice, “Jack gave me paperwork for here, saying that just in case something happens, we can take whatever measures we need.” His lisp is becoming more evident as the potion fades, when his skin and hair start to change is when he will take the last potion.

Alice just watches her father-in-law as he reaches into the jacket he is wearing and hands her a packet.  She looks down at it and then back to him. When he gestures to it, indicating that she is to open it, she complies. Looking inside, she relaxes as she sees the red color of England’s passport. Then she realizes that he has credit cards and cash in there. She looks quickly up and asks, “Tarrant, do you know what all is in here?”

Giving her a quick look, Tarrant asks, “Did Jack not cover everything?” ‘ _What has the Knave of Hearts messed up now?’_

Carol walks over and glances in the envelope that Alice is holding. Her mouth drops open in shock as she sees the black credit card in Tarrant’s name. Then she looks closer and asks before she thinks it completely through, “Are you a Lord, Tarrant?” Then she realizes her filter is not working at all; too many shocks to her system in a short while.

Alice couldn’t help it, she starts laughing, gripping her side hard where the pain is located.  Even though Tarrant and Alice told her about Wonderland, that her own daughter is a Queen; Tarrant being a Lord shocks her?

Tarrant smiles at his daughter’s appealing laughter as he answers Carol, “My clan originally came from this world. We were Lords in some place called Scotland and according to Jack’s research; we still retain the titles and lands. Why do you ask?”

Alice gasps for air, knowing the stress of everything going on is causing her to react this way and answers him, “Your black card in there has no limit and is made out to a Lord Tarrant Hightopp.” She grits her teeth as her pain suddenly increases.

Tarrant just looked blankly at them, not understanding. Carol takes pity on him and tells him, “It means we will have no problem getting to England.”

Alice shakes her head, forgetting again that her new family would have no idea what a black credit card means, or anything really to do with this world. Just as she needs Hatter and Wonderland to explain to her about her new home, they need her to explain the nuances of this world.

The three of them make the trip back to the apartment. Carol goes around pulling Alice’s and her passports, getting things ready for them. Alice sits down; her hand still grasping Hatter’s wound. She is worried it is still hurting after all this time. Tarrant sits down opposite her, worrying about the same thing. After a while, Alice curls up on the couch, and closes her eyes, concentrating on the Bond.

Carol finally comes back to the room and informs them they need to leave, there is a flight leaving in a few hours. They all collect the bags that they are taking with them. The group heads out to the car that Carol had called for them while making the plane reservations, and hurry to JFK airport.

Carol watches her daughter carefully thinking about earlier. Knowing that there is no reason to skimp on their seats, Tarrant had asked that she get the most comfortable ride to their destination. When Carol had commented about how expensive it would be, he had indicated her daughter curled up. When she looked at him puzzled, he indicated that they move their conversation to another room.

When they were both in the kitchen, Tarrant told her softly, “She needs not to be thinking on anything but the Bond. It is very important that she not give up hope, fade away, or break. If she were to do any of that, it will make it harder on them both. My wife is with David doing the same. I know you don’t understand the Bond, but it is very important for Alice and David.”

Carol had agreed to his wishes and got them first class tickets to England. When they arrive at the airport, she is glad she did so, since they get checked in and settle in the first class lounge quickly. She sits down to wait, after watching Tarrant help her daughter to a seat. As she had packed, Carol had realized that she needs to know as much as possible about her new world. The best way to do that would be to read about it in her father’s stories. She had packed all of them, even his journals, planning to read as many of them before she gets to Wonderland as possible. While reaching into her carry-on to start reading on, Carol glances at Tarrant, her eyes widening, a gasp escaping her.

After making sure Alice is settled, Tarrant is worried. She is retreating more and more into herself. The last time she had been normal was the laughter that had been surprised out of her. He is trying to think what they can be doing to help her when he hears Carol gasp. Looking up quickly, he notices that she is staring at him.

Handing Tarrant her mirror, Carol tries to rationalize what is happening. She truly is starting to believe. Tarrant’s healthy looking skin has been bleaching white as she watches. His hair is getting curly, and turning a vibrant orange as well. He glances at himself and quickly reaches into his pocket. Pulling out a crystal bottle containing a bright red liquid, he drinks all of it quickly. The bleaching effect stops and slowly his face and hair begin to turn back into the colors she is familiar with.

During all of this, Alice doesn’t register anything. She is too busy concentrating on her Bond with Hatter. She can still feel his pain – the burning sensation is still there, and getting worse. Honestly, Alice is getting more and more worried. She doesn’t want to worry Tarrant, but her body is feeling weaker.

Soon their flight is called and they get ready to stand. Tarrant has turned towards Alice and is alarmed to see her try to stand, only to fall back into her seat. He moves to her side as quickly as he is able and helps her stand.  Once she is upright, he hears her whimper and asks, “Alice?”

Carol turns quickly at the sound from her daughter. She realizes there is something wrong and grabs everything she can, indicating to Tarrant to help Alice.

Alice grits her teeth, and with help from Tarrant, they move to the plane and are seated. Tarrant sits beside her, and he leans close, asking, “Alice, what is wrong?”  His eyes are turning yellow with worry.

Steeling herself, she says to him, “Not now, Tarrant. There’s nothing you can do, nor is there any way I’ll tell you anything that may drain the magic from the potion faster.”

Tarrant rocks back in his seat. _How is she doing this?_ Alice’s talents are working and her powers are growing. With his body aching more and more, he knows that they are not close to a source of Wonderland Magic for her to draw on.

Staring out the window, Alice enlightens him, “Concentrate on the Bond. It will help, Tarrant.” She knows that is what is making this bearable. The magic that is inherent in the Bond is stronger when they concentrate on it but they need to make it quickly to Ascot Manor. She is also happy she has distracted the Mad Hatter from his earlier questions.

The plane ride is long, and Alice barely manages to keep it together. The absolute agony she is suffering from, between the Bond being so thin and Hatter’s wounds are overwhelming her. She is feeling the need to be back with Hatter.

Carol watches the two Wonderlanders suffer across the aisle from her. She had managed to pull some favors to allow them on to the Ascot Manor when they arrive. Since all they need to do is walk the grounds, the current Lord and Lady had no issue with the visit. Even though they are away, they were willing to accommodate the daughter of Lewis Carroll and a Lord.

Once through customs, they grab the few bags that contain items Alice and Carol wanted to keep with them in Wonderland. Exiting the airport, there is a driver holding a card for Lord Hightopp.

Carol moves them towards the man, asking, “Are you from the Ascots?”

The older man nods and imparts to them, “They instructed me to pick you up and to take you to the Manor. But, ma’am they did not instruct me any further.” He is clearly confused, but will follow his Lord and Lady’s instructions.

Carol smiles, glad that some people still believe. “It’s fine. We have an alternate mode of transportation available once we get there just no way to get to the Manor. Lord Hamish and Lady Rose were gracious enough to arrange this.” She had laughed when she had heard the name of the current Lord of Ascot.  Fate is stepping in a lot on this trip, it seems.

Alice is panting from the pain and mutters, “Mom.” She is growing weaker and weaker. The only reason she is still on her feet, is the hope she feels in getting back to Hatter.

Looking quickly at her daughter, Carol tells the driver, “We need to get to the Manor as soon as possible, please.”

Tarrant is gritting his teeth in pain as he assists his daughter to the car. He refuses to give in to the aches and the separation from his mate. His daughter needs him too much. Because of that, and the Bond, he also knows his son needs him. It has been a long time since David has needed his fa.

They settle quickly in the car and once they start moving, Carol asks, “Alice, what is happening? You’re getting worse…”

Alice pushes the pain away as she was taught in the dojo and conveys to her mom, “It’s getting worse.  I need to get to Wonderland.” Alice is finding that even meditation is not helping. She refuses to cry, she will not give in. ‘ _I will survive!’_ She works to shut the world away.

Tarrant nods next to her, expanding, “We need to get back. Carol, listen to me. This is important. If nothing else, you need to push us both into the Rabbit Hole. Once in Wonderland, yell for Chess and Absolem. Absolem is a-”

Her eyes wide, she finishes his sentence, “A Blue butterfly, or caterpillar. Why am I yelling for them?” She remembers the description from her father’s book. Absolem is also called a Guardian. Of what, is not mentioned yet.

Closing his eyes, Tarrant tells her, “They will come for us. In addition, they can take us to the Kingdom of Knights quickly. Alice and Hatter need to be by each other.”

Before anyone could say anything else, they pull in front of a large manor. Tarrant helps Alice up, not giving in to his pain and suffering as he concentrates on her.

Carol quickly looks around, remembering as a child being here and being shown the Rabbit Hole. She grabs their bags and indicates the direction they need to head.

The threesome head into the maze and after awhile, they reach a dead tree. Carol walks around it trying to find the Rabbit Hole. Alice falls to the ground gasping, Tarrant beside her.

Feeling panicky, Carol walks around the tree two more times. She feels like crying, seeing the two on the ground in obvious pain and not able to find the Rabbit Hole. She hears the birds singing and wants to scream at the peacefulness surrounding them.

Alice looks up at her mother and, seeing the hopeless look on her face, closes her eyes. She reaches for the Bond, feeling it and then pushes for her land Bond. She feels it faintly and screams into both Bonds, “ _Let me, HOME!”_ Then she collapses, blood trickling out of her nose.

Tarrant looks at her shocked; she had screamed aloud. He then glances at Carol and they stare at each other, worried over Alice. Carol moves to her, reaching her to pull her into her arms. She is very frightened, not knowing what to do. It’s now obvious to them both what Alice has been hiding from them. Alice is dying.

Then they hear a sound of earth moving under the three of them and the Hole reopens. As soon as they fall through, the Hole closes and there is no sign of it ever having been there.  Birds are quiet for little while and then start singing again.

* * *

Carol screams as she falls down the hole. There are items flying past her face, never hitting her, but coming close. She tries to find Alice and Tarrant, but cannot find either as she falls. A bed rushes up to her, and she bounces on it, falling even faster as it bounces her into the hole. Now, she is staring up, and sees a grand piano rushing out of nowhere, playing by itself heading straight at her.

Carol flings her arms in front of her, trying to protect herself. When nothing happens, she opens her eyes and arms to find the piano mere inches from her. Before she can react to it, it falls… upwards?

Carol flips herself over and sees the floor seconds before she hits it. Crashing thought it; she also hears two other crashes.

Sitting up, she sees Tarrant lying on the floor and further from him Alice in the same position. Then she remembers from her father’s books what happens next, and before she can say anything, they fall to the true floor.

Stunned, Carol lies there for a couple of seconds. Then remembering her daughter is dying, she stands up and checks on Alice.

Alice is slightly cold and barely breathing. When Carol glances at Tarrant, she sees him in the same circumstance. She remembers what Tarrant had told her and yells, “Chessur, Absolem! Help!!”

There was a faint pop noise and both the Cheshire Cat and the Guardian of the Oraculum are in front of her.

Chess looks at her, and asks quickly, “Where is Alice?”

Carol shakily points her finger at her daughter and Chess turns quickly. Seeing Alice, he breathes, “No…”  Going to her, he touches her and disappears with Alice.

Carol blinks and then hears a sarcastic voice say, “Stupid cat! He leaves me with Tarrant and Alice’s mother!”

Turning around she observes the blue butterfly in front of her. Arching an eyebrow, she gives the Guardian the ‘mom look’.

Absolem stares at Carol, chuckling to himself. “Go touch Tarrant and I will take you both back to the Kingdom. Luckily for all of us, Wonderland played with time in the Rabbit Hole. Hatter was hurt just an hour ago.”

Carol nods, and moves over to Tarrant, touching him. As Absolem flies over to her, she looks around the room, noticing that her father’s stories were right on again. On the table was a drink that said, “Drink Me” and she can see the tiny box on the floor that she had no doubt said “Eat Me”.  But, where is the key?

Absolem flies over to her and, before she can register what is happening, they all disappear.

* * *

In the Kingdom of the Knights, there seems to be hardly any activity going on, unless you look closely at the Palace. There is some bustle going on there, but still not enough for any outsider to tell that something is wrong. That is one of the benefits of having friends with evaporating skills, there are no frantic movements or anything to give away the severity of what is actually going on.

Hatter lies on the bed. When the Looking Glass closed, he had awakened in a panic, before the pain of the Bond weakening and his wounds overwhelmed him. Even then, he fought to stay awake until the Kingdom and Wonderland forced him under.

Alice sits there staring at her son, her pain from the Bond almost overwhelming. Mirana is across from her, checking David. Chess had removed the arrow as soon as they saw it. However, David is still not responding, and Chess could not chase down the poison in his system. None of the potions Mirana has tried are working on David.

Mirana looks up at her Champion, seeing the pain of being a mother not able to help her child in her eyes. She tells her, “We need Alice. Whatever happened to the Looking Glass is making him worse.  Once I can get Alice here, we can find out from her what hurts.

Alice of Legend just stared at her son, feeling like everything is going wrong in a short amount of time. David and Alice should be enjoying their Bond and time together. Yes, they have a Kingdom to organize plus whatever Wonderland has been warning them all of. But this?

Suddenly, Alice gasps _. ‘Tarrant! Her mate!’_  She can feel him. Then she doubles over in agony.  Everything aches. Her bones, muscles, even her skin aches. She would have fallen out of her chair if it hadn’t been for Mirana steadying her.

She looks up and informs Mirana, “They are back. But Tarrant is in complete pain. What happened?”

They look at each other then they hear Chess evaporate, yelling, “Mirana! Alice is also hurt!! She is…” He chokes off what he is about to say.

The White Queen and her Champion turn to face him. Before they can do anything but look in shock at Alice, Hatter is beside her. His eyes and skin are black as he holds her, dismissing his own pain, feeling hers. He carefully wipes away the blood from her face.

Hatter woke up when Alice returned to Wonderland, he had felt like his veins were on fire. He needed his mate, _now!_ Then, he had felt Alice close and realized when he heard a pop that Chess must have brought her here. Before he knew what was happening, he was moving to her.

Moving over to the couple, Mirana, drops to her knees before Alice. Seeing Alice, the pale skin and the blood from her nose and ears, she quickly looks at Hatter, and demands from him, “How do you feel?”

Looking up from Alice for a second, pulling her closer to him, he asks, “Really?” How could she ask him at this time? Couldn’t she see that Alice needed medical attention? ‘ _Alice, what is wrong?’_

Not having a second to spare, Mirana tells him, “You feel what she feels, she feels what you feel. How do you feel?”

Dark eyes widen as Hatter takes in her words and he quickly divulges to her, “My veins are on fire, weak, barely able to keep myself together. My head is killing me.”

Stopping in shock, she asks, “How long?” How long has Alice been there?

Hatter mistakes her words and tells her, “Just moments, I felt her return and then this.”

Shaking her head, Mirana clarifies to him, “Same poison as you, but farther along. How long has she been suffering?”

A pop sounds and they hear Absolem answer her, “Maybe they can help you, Mirana.”

Before he can finish, Alice K. runs to her mate. Before anything more can be said or done, Mirana looks over her oldest friend. She tells Absolem and Alice K., “He is feeling the effects of the Above World. Take him to your room and stay with him, Alice.”

Alice K. looks at her friend, and then her eyes flick to David and Alice. Mirana correctly translates her meaning, and tells her, “I will take care of them with Chess. Go.”

Hearing the pop signaling the move to their rooms, Mirana turns her attention to the lady standing there, who must be Carol. “My name is Mirana, the White Queen. I need to know, how long Alice has been feeling this way?”

Carol is standing there bewildered, seeing her daughter lying in a man’s arms. Part of her notes the way the man holds her to him, protectively and lovingly as if his whole world is there in his arms and he will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Since she agrees wholeheartedly, Hatter won over his mother-in-law in seconds.

Hearing Mirana’s words, she turns in shock, “The White Queen? But…” Then Carol snaps out of it and quickly answers, “About a day, almost 2 days.” She hopes the stories about the White Queen are accurate.

Hatter pales as he takes in her words. He says in shock, “But…it has been only an hour.” And if it wasn’t for the pain that he is feeling from Alice, he’s not too sure he would be moving. Nevertheless, Alice always takes precedence. She is his forever, and his forever cannot die.

Mirana calls softly, “Chess.” When the Cheshire Cat appears, she tells him and David, “This will be painful, David.  However, I know now what was used; I can remove it from you.  Then, we can see if that helps Alice.”

Hatter flexes his arms, feeling his life being held in them, and tells Mirana, “I will do anything for her.  I need her. Chess, please.”

Chess looks to Mirana after staring at Alice. He should have never left her in the world Above. He should have brought her with him, and then she would not be so bad. But, David’s plea to him brings him out of his thoughts, and he is now just waiting for Mirana to tell him what poison he is chasing.

Mirana takes a deep breath and advises Chess, “Bandersnatch and Botulinum mixed together. That is why they resisted your earlier attempts.

Chess nods and says, “I will need something to deposit the poison into.”  He then turns to David.  “David, you need to lie Alice down. Then lie down yourself. It will be faster and easier for you.”

Hatter wants to protest, but the poisons are deadly, he knows this. He complies, hoping this will help his Alice.

Chess hesitates and softly says, “I am sorry, David.” Then he dives into David’s body.  Working quickly, he moves to the bottom of David’s body.  Chess then stretches his body to fit David’s, and moves up, straining David’s body with his own.  Chess was the only living being known to be able to do this, the only one to have ever done it. He had perfected the process on Tarrant, actually. The two of them had worked out how to remove the mercury from Tarrant’s body to prevent his madness from going any further.

Hatter can barely keep from screaming. The pain of what Chess is doing is excruciating but is nothing compared to what he had felt when Alice left.  This is physical that had been soul deep.

Chess lifts out of David’s body, the poison laying on top of him. Mirana holds a jar out and Chess forms his body to let the poison run off into the jar, careful not to spill a drop anywhere.

Hatter is lying on the ground gasping for a couple of seconds. His hand reaches out and grabs Alice’s, his thumb caressing her engagement ring. Closing his eyes, he fights the pain and moves to sit up and have her back in his arms. Looking up at Carol, he asks, “How did you return to Wonderland?”

With awe on her face for this man, she answers, “Through the original Rabbit Hole. It had been closed, but Alice screamed she wanted to go home and it opened.”

Hatter closes his eyes and murmurs, “Thank you.” Carol doesn’t understand, but everyone else knows that he is thanking Wonderland.

Wonderland lets him know he is more than welcome, but they need to get both Alice and Hatter somewhere to rest. Alice is not out of the woods yet, but with some rest and Hatter by her side, she will survive.

Confused, Hatter looks at Mirana and Chess. He tells them, “We need to be in bed resting. Alice should be fine tomorrow if I am healed. But, why is Alice like this?”

Mirana walks over and grabs a purple and two light blue potions. She hands the light blue one to Hatter to drink as she pours the purple one on the gash on his side. Seeing it heal, she relaxes.  Taking the bottle from him, she hands him the other one, indicating Alice. While the two of them work to get her to drink it, Mirana is still worried about the blood on her face.

Once they are done, she answers David, “Your Bond. You two are so strong in your Bond, that she felt when you were injured. That is how she knew to send Chess back. However, she also had the effects from the poison going through her. Since it would have been a paradox for her not to progress as though you were not healed, she went through the poisoning as you would have had there been no way to heal you. However, once Wonderland acted and moved her back in time, we could find out what happened. We removed the poison and the Bond will remove the effects from her.”

Chess quietly moves them both back to their bed. He is still upset. Chess is very close to both of them that is why he left with Alice. But to see the handiwork of what happened when he left her is distressing.

Hatter nods his thanks to Chess. Seeing his friend in pain, he makes a mental note to talk to him later.  Hatter then asks Mirana, “But she will be fine? Mirana, I-”

Mirana laughs and tells him, “Sleep, David. See what tomorrow brings. I will settle Alice’s mom in another room and notify Carpenter that she is here. Call for help if you need it. Moreover, for all our sakes, do not go out to the balcony and leave the doors closed. There is a pair of stone Knights in the rooms now so they cannot be blocked again.” Charlie had been quite upset about that, fixing it as soon as he could. He felt like he failed his Queen in keeping her mate unhurt.

Hatter nods, holding Alice to him. As they all leave the room, he strokes her face tenderly. She is his life, his everything. Once she is well – he knows her well enough and had a faint sense of her feelings when he was attacked – they will both want revenge on his attackers. Alice will, for them daring to hurt him, Hatter, for them hurting Alice through him. Whomever dared to do this, will be paying for it soon.

* * *

Fairfarren~


	15. You Are the Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reconnecting for our heroes

 

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Everything by Lifehouse._

* * *

The morning light creeps across the bed, showing the two people wrapped around each other.  The light can’t tell where one starts and the other leaves off, they are so entangled. But, knowing what almost happened to these two people, and how bad Wonderland would have been if these two hadn’t gotten better, the light recedes.

Deciding to give the two more time to each other, Light talks to Time, and they both agree to give Alice and Hatter more time with each other. Light leaves the room in a twilight haze and Time holds off from marching on. Determining this will give the two more time to heal and to be with each other, they are happy.

Though time passes, Time himself does not. Later when Hatter wakes, he reflexively grips Alice closer to him. As he wakes up more, he feels the Bond and is reassured by it and Wonderland that Alice is better.  Hatter lies there in bed, thankful for his friends. They helped both Alice and himself when they needed it the most. If either had lost the other, or even thought about it…well, since it didn’t happen, Hatter refuses to head down that path.

He untangles himself enough to be able to lie beside her, looking down at the love of his life. His one arm is holding his head up, the other holding Alice to him. His eyes are dark, they will not fade until Alice wakes, and he verifies she is okay. Hatter spends awhile, gazing at his Alice, content to wait for her, knowing that this is making sure she will be better.

Alice slowly wakes, amazed that the pain is gone. She can also feel Hatter, beside her and through the Bond. She sighs in contentment and opens her eyes to him. Seeing his face above hers, watching her with worry and love, Alice reaches up and cups his face, calmly murmuring, “Hatter.”

Hatter sighs in relief as she wakes and is no longer in pain. He realizes he should have known better, he had been pain free when he woke as well. But, she is the light to his soul, his everything. Hatter has no issue admitting that he has been falling apart since the second he realized she was dying in his arms.  There was no potion to heal her, no wounds to clean of the poison that was killing her. It was all because of _his_ wounds and body that she was dying. The torture of that knowledge still pains him.

Alice can feel Hatter’s anguish and she quickly moves towards him. She gently tells him, as he holds her tightly to him, “I am here, Hatter. I’m fine. We are both fine. We are here tog-.” Her face turns white and she stammers out, “Oh God, Hatter-” As the previous day, _or has it been a couple of days,_ catch up to Alice, she falls apart in his arms with him.

The two of them seek assurance from the other that they are not hurt. Alice had felt Hatter dying as she raced to be with him, stuck in her world.  Hatter had felt her dying in his arms.  It is an experience that neither ever wants to feel again.

Both of them hold each other close. Feelings of revenge and the need to search out the other human beings that had hurt them and theirs, to cause to them the pain they had suffered, will wait. This is so much more important for the two of them. Bonding for the most part, is an amazing thing. But, there are downsides to everything, and what they had just suffered through is a perfect example of that.

Even though it was a wakeup call to both of them that not everything is sweetness, neither would give up their bond, or anything that has to do with the other. Between their bond and everything they have been through together, they always know where they stand with each other. In fact, they have to work to keep their hands to themselves, their emotions and love is so strong that they can barely keep them in check.

Hatter didn’t have the time away that Alice had from him, but he can understand her need for him to be as close as possible. He always has a need for her to be by him. He went centuries thinking that he would never have the feelings for another to the depth of his parents. Watching what they have, it was impossible not to want the same for himself.  Finding Alice – that was a shock and a joy that he feels so lucky to have – will never be something he takes for granted. To find that she always feels the same is a joy and amazement is a feeling he couldn’t explain to anyone else.

Holding Hatter as close as she can, she sends her love through the Bond. Alice cannot get enough of him; she chuckles as she remembers trying to explain to her mother what a Bond is. Now in Hatter’s arms, she finds the easiest explanation. He is her soul mate, her love. He is her other half in everything, the one who will love and be with her, forever. Here in Wonderland, that is a very real possibility.  Alice hopes it is, since she will be spending the rest of her life loving him, and forever just seems like it will not be enough.

Smiling as he hears Alice chuckle on his shoulder, he asks her softly, “What’s funny, Alice?”

Relaxing further as she feels his hands rub along her back, she answers just as softly, “Your father and I was trying to explain Bonding to my mom. She needed to know since I was falling apart in front of her and she couldn’t understand why. But here in your arms, I found the perfect description for it.  I find it funny that before I couldn’t explain it.  It all sounded inadequate.  But it is so much closer.  Hatter, I love you so much.”

His arms tighten around her. “I love you too, Alice.  Gods, when you arrived yesterday…I never felt anything like that. I never want to feel something like that ever again. I can’t keep you wrapped up in cotton, nor can I lock you in a room. But, I wish to do all that and more, to make sure you are never hurt again. None of it’ll work, since the minute I get hurt, you’ll feel it too. Alice, how can I ever keep my promise to you?” He closes his eyes in despair as he holds her to him.

Realizing how much it must have hurt him to find her in that situation, then to find out he made her that way, must be agonizing to say the least. Alice softly comforts him, “Hatter, I felt the same for you. I was flying across the ocean, for seven hours, feeling like I was failing you by not being here. For sending Chess to you, and staying there. Then, if I had known about the Looking Glass, I would have sent Tarrant back. Oh, God.” Alice closes her eyes, knowing the truth. Even knowing what would happen, she would have changed nothing. She looks at Hatter with tears in her eyes telling him, “There was nothing I could have done right. So yes, I understand. But, all you or I can do is try to be with each other. To make sure we have each other’s backs. I can’t explain it, but every time we are together, we overcome everything.  When we are apart, it seems like everything goes wrong.”

Taking a deep breath, Hatter tells her, “You’re right.  And, if you think you are going anywhere without me for awhile, you’re sadly mistaken.  You’ll be lucky to be able to leave my sight for, I don’t know, the next 300 years?”

Not able to help it, Alice starts to laugh. She retorts back, “300?  I’m thinking more like thousands of years.”

Hatter laughs with her, “That sounds about right, but I didn’t want to scare you, luv.” He pulls back to look into her eyes, “I love you, Alice. I cannot say that enough. You are my everything. My life, love, my reason to keep breathing. What I was before was merely waiting for you to enter my life.”

Alice stares at him, and then unable to keep it in, she grins and tells him, “Actually, you were waiting for me to be born.”

Hatter couldn’t believe it, Alice is joking? He has never really seen this side of her and, he loves it. He pulls her close and kisses her. Sweetly, savoring his mate being here with him, he needs this as much as he needed the kiss at the lake.

Closing her eyes, Alice loses herself in the kiss with her mate. She needs this as much as she feels that he needs it. They have been through so much lately, the worst being when they were apart. But this, this sweetness, their lips touching and worshipping each other, this is a reaffirmation that the other is here with them.

Hatter deepens the kiss, bringing her closer to him, but it was never desperate, never more than love exemplified.  He just wants to worship her, show her his love for her.

Sighing, Alice opens her mouth willingly to Hatter. The love flowing through the Bond is making this more than just kisses; it is a merging of two souls that were torn apart.

Eventually, Alice breaks the kiss gasping for air; Hatter continues to kiss her, leaving open mouth kisses along her jaw line, and peppering her face with kisses. They both need this so much, the love they are sharing through the Bond is overwhelming, but there is no hurry, no roughness. There is no possessing, that has already been done and accepted.  This is them, just loving each other.

Hatter stops long enough to look into Alice’s blue eyes.  He tells her softly, “I love you so much, Alice.  There is no more me and you, just us.”  He wipes the tears from her eyes tenderly.

Alice can feel his emotions; feel his frustration that he cannot find the words to tell her what he feels.  She completely understands.  ‘I love you’ seems so little for what they feel for each other.  But, at the same time it is what they are – in love.  “I know. I love you so much; these words are both so little and so fitting.” Her tears keep running down her face as he tenderly wipes them away.

Hatter leans down and kisses her tears, then kisses her lips. He gathers her to him, holding her close as he soothes and comforts her. Once she is calm, needing more from him, Alice pushes him away, then kisses him.  She wants him and can feel his desire for their love to be more to each other.  To show each other their love, to reconnect physically.

Hovering over her, he moves down her lovely swan neck, leaving butterfly kisses.  The areas she loves him to pay attention to get his attention. Hearing her sighs of pleasure encourages him to do more to hear and feel more of her enjoyment.

Closing her eyes in pleasure at her mate’s ministrations, Alice is slightly surprised when he stops.  She opens her sapphire eyes to meet his chocolate brown ones.  He smiles at her and leans back, tugging her up with him. When she is vertical, he pulls off her tunic, leaving her in her underclothes. He stares at her lovingly, taking in everything. He glances at her eyes, seeing no embarrassment, no shyness at her partial nudity. He cups her face in his hands and kisses her as he lays her back on the bed.

Alice closes her eyes; trusting her mate completely. She looks up to him, and seeing him just staring at her, she draws him down. Hatter is in lounge pants, never having changed when they got back to their rooms last night.  He had taken the time to make Alice comfortable then had collapsed beside her in their bed.  Now he is glad that he hadn’t bothered, as he feels her hands on him, caressing his chest and then slipping to his back to pull him closer.

Kissing Hatter, running her hands up and down his body, Alice is in heaven.  Here she is with her mate, nothing rushing them, nothing but the two of them.  And the things he is doing with his mouth… Alice sighs in pleasure.

Hatter smiles to himself; he loves hearing her. He moves her bra straps off her shoulders, kissing where it touches her.  When he gets the straps as low as he can, he slides his hands around his Alice, as he kisses her neck. With a quick flick of his fingers, he unhooks her bra. Hatter looks up at Alice, smirking as he takes in her face, feeling her lust and love for him through the Bond.  He removes her bra, trailing his fingers across her body as he does so.

Alice looks down at him, feeling the mischievousness of him as well as his desire for her, all eclipsed by the pure love that he has for her.  She smiles, then arches her back as he teases one of her nipples.  Sensing the pure pleasure from his actions, then feeling the pleasure from him, at what he is doing to her makes this more intense.

Hatter closes his eyes in the shared joy they have between them, as he does what he can to please both of them.  He caresses her breast with one hand as he loves her other one with his mouth.  He is a breast man, as long as they are Alice’s.  He can never get enough of her perfect mounds, how they fit perfectly in his hands and in his mouth.  Though to be truthful, Alice and he fit together perfectly everywhere.  It is as though they are made for each other.

Not able to keep still, Alice moves under her Hatter, trying to relieve some of the pressure she is getting from his actions. She reaches down, and unties his pants, sliding her hand down to grasp him, shocked pleasantly, as always, at how well endowed her mate is.

Moaning, Hatter looks down at her.  Her hands on him are always pleasurable, especially right now when he is craving her.  He kisses her, his mouth moving sensuously with hers.  He lowers himself on her, needing the friction as much as she does.

But, before he can fully rest on her, Alice stops him. Hatter helps her remove his clothing, then reaches down to remove the only article that Alice has on.  He moves down her lovely legs, worshipping them, leaving open mouth kisses down to her dainty feet.  Crouched at her feet, he takes one and kisses it.  Then he slowly makes his way up, kissing her legs as he moves up to one of his favorite places.  He looks up as he feels her desire and love for him spike.

Looking down, Alice’s eyes meet Hatter’s brown eyes. She cannot contain her feelings, not when he is giving all his love and desire for her free reign.  Not that she is complaining. She gives as good as she gets, feeling the same as he does. She needs him to be what he is, the love of her life.

As always, Hatter is amazed by his woman.  He smiles at her  as he slowly makes his way up to her sex.  Then, glancing at her, he proceeds to lick her clit from top to bottom, then back the other way.  As her taste fills his mouth, his moan of pleasure is only surpassed by her feelings coming through the Bond.  He loves the taste of Alice.

Alice gasps and her hips move of their own volition. She feels one of his arms slide across her waist to hold her down as the other moves to help him.  She loves when he does this to her, it feels so amazing!

Hatter moves up, inserts his two fingers into her lower lips and pumps them in and out, searching for her g-spot. He teases her nub of nerves with his tongue until he hears her moan, “Hatter…oh God, yes!” He can feel her inner walls clamping down; he then gently nips her nub with his teeth and is rewarded by her coming apart. He moves down to lick all of her nectar.

Alice is coming out of her orgasm and opens her eyes when she feels Hatter move up her body.

He takes his time, licking and nipping his way up, paying special attention to her belly button, then her breasts. By the time he reaches her mouth, he has aroused her between his ministrations and through his own need for her.

Hatter hovers above her body, watching her with eyes dark with lust and love.  “I love you so much, Alice.”  With that, he lowers himself to her body, kissing her as he enters her gently.  They break the kiss as Hatter moans his pleasure at being inside his love.  ‘ _So tight and wet, how can anything be better than this?’_

No words are needed as the Bond lets them feel everything.  They move slowly, making love to each other.  Alice moves her legs around Hatter, and feels him move deeper in her.  She breathes out a sigh.  She wraps her arms around him, needing to be close to him.

Hatter kisses everywhere he can, only stopping as he watches her face, making sure through her eyes and the Bond that it feels as good for her as it does for him.

Hatter soon sits back on his legs, drawing Alice with him. He watches her as he moves in and out of her, supporting her, as he goes into the hilt and back.  He can see the pleasure this position brings her.  He keeps it as long as he can, until the space between them is too much, and he lowers himself to her, pulling her legs up higher as he watches and feels her come around him.

Alice is gasping as Hatter makes love to her, she feels him sliding in and out of her slowly. When he moves, the feelings heighten; she can feel all of him inside her. The emotions are unreal, but eventually she feels herself start to come. Not wanting to end this, she tries to hold off until Hatter comes with her.  But, soon he shifts again and with this new position, she is unable to think, much less try to hold back her orgasm; Alice comes around him, her body shuddering as she gasps out his name, “Hatter…oh, hell yes, God!”

Enjoying the sight of her coming undone, Hatter slows down to help prolong her ecstasy. He loves nothing more than feeling her coming physically and through the Bond. He clamps down on his body, not allowing himself to come, until he can build her up again.

Breathing heavy, Alice looks into Hatter’s eyes. His endurance always amazes her. She can feel his genuine pleasure at making her come. But, at the same time, she can also feel the mounting pressure in him to have his own release. She flips them over, and starts moving her hips up and down.

Hatter closes his eyes in pleasure, only to open them quickly. He enjoys watching Alice ride him. Her body, glistening with sweat from their lovemaking, moving sensuously up and down his cock; her head thrown back, with her hair cascading down, in obvious pleasure of him inside of her. Her breasts bouncing with each movement from her.

Unable to resist, Hatter puts his hands on her hips, helping her move faster as he starts to thrust up into her.

Even with this, they still move languorously, enjoying reconnecting to each other.  The room sounds with their gasps and moans, their quiet words of love being told to each other, the sounds of their bodies. But, as always with them, their bodies give out before their desire for each other.

Hatter quickly turns them both, where he is on top, he moves quicker, harder in response to their bodies.  Alice groans outs, “Oh God, Hatter…faster, I need you!”

Leaning down to kiss her, Hatter complies all the while whispering, “Oh Gods.  Fuck me, Alice, you feel so good.”  Moving faster, Hatter can feels his release coming, and determined to have Alice come with him, he moves his hand down to her clit and pinches it.  Alice starts to orgasm around him, and he comes inside her, thrusting inside of her several times as her walls milk his seed from him.  Hatter and Alice gasp out each other’s name as they hold onto each other.

Hatter barely holds himself from collapsing on Alice as he comes down.  Reluctantly pulling out of her, he rolls to the side and collapses, but not before he pulls Alice over to him.  He sighs, and tells her softly, “I love you Alice.  So very much, and I thank Wonderland and the Gods themselves for bringing us together, for keeping us alive.”  He kisses her forehead, holding her tight to him.

Alice rests her head on his chest, completely relaxed.  She looks up as he begins murmuring to her his love.  She smiles, and just as softly answers him, “I am the lucky one here.  You fell in love with me.  Somehow, some way, we survived everything and all it did is bring us closer and closer together.  I love you so much Hatter and I bless every day for you and our Bond.  We’ll never have to worry if the other doesn’t love us with that.”

Hatter smiles and gently teases her, “Which is good, luv.  Since we never talk or show our emotions to each other.”  He chuckles.  Then his face grows serious and he fervently tells her, “I am always amazed by you, luv.  You are my strength, my hope.  You are everything to me, my better half. How can it be any better than this, this love between us?”

Alice moves up his body and he meets her, kissing her softly.  Then he holds her to him as they drowse in the light.

Time and Light look on the two of them and are happy.  Time moves off, giving them more of him for a while, they both deserve at least that.  Light moves over the two lovers, caressing them.  Then it also moves on, giving them what little privacy they can have in Wonderland.

Wonderland sighs contentedly.  Her Champions are all back where they belong.  Moreover, they will shortly know that others are moving against them.  However, for now, she will also leave Hatter and Alice alone, making sure everyone else does as well.

* * *

Fairfarren~

 


End file.
